Music and the Beast
by AnotherDarnApple
Summary: Modern Day AU. Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But there might just be someone brave enough to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.
1. Days Like These

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 7,102 words

Warnings: OOC Cato and Socially awkward Katniss.

**Chapter 1: Days Like These**

She woke up to the rather unpleasant sound of her alarm clock that day, its almost too familiar tune ringing through her head as she mustered up the clarity to put a stop to the darned thing. A few seconds of laying on her bed, staring up at the taupe ceiling that towered over her later, the same tune came to life accompanied by the relentless buzzing of her phone. She knew who was on the other line and slowly dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom for a shower. She let her phone ring, it could wait.

Days like these were the worst. While most considered it a blessing to be one of the nation's top talent managers and agents, there was only so much she could do to keep herself grounded amidst the throng of divas and macho stars which made up the majority of her clientele. The very man responsible for her less than pleasant morning – Cato – was no exception. The mere mention of his ridiculous generic pop star name made the hardened manager double back in figurative giggles, because god forbid that stars these days have normal names with normal surnames.

She scanned her call history as she got out of the shower. Fifteen missed calls and the familiar tune made itself welcome yet again. She rolled her eyes before finally picking up.

"What is it? Your TV spot isn't until eleven." She growled into the speaker, adjusting her cordless mic into her ear as she got dressed.

"D'you like you new ringtone? And your new alarm?" She found herself fuming at the mere thought of the smirk the star most likely wore as he spoke through the other line, as if changing her ringtone was the most genius idea ever. "I changed it for you. Top of the charts baby!"

"Oh, I had noooooo idea. I thought that maybe the heavens were calling with that heavenly voice of yours." She managed to hide the sarcasm in her voice. When it came to Cato, you just had to go with it. "Congratulations. But seriously though, the next time you so much as touch my settings, I'm smashing that platinum record of yours against the nearest hard surface."

The star returned her threat with what he most likely thought to be a charismatic chortle. To her it just sounded like a pig being strangled. "Yes ma'am."

"Is that the only reason you called?" She was starting to get impatient as she played with the wet locks of hair that left damp traces on her smart-casual outfit. "You know I'm going to see you later on today anyway."

"I just wanted to hear your voice", he replied, the tone of seduction in his voice so thickly apparent it made her want to gag. "Can't I even say 'hi' to my favorite manager ever?"

She would be lying if she said her relationship with the rising star was purely professional. More than wanting anything romantic, she had to admit that Cato was one of her most hard-headed clients – in more ways than one, so to speak. Truthfully, the only way into Cato's head was through his cock, and if it got him to his schedules on time, and made him less of a divo, she was willing to give up a few drunken nights and what little professionalism she had left with the haughty musician to keep his needs satisfied. She was never one for romance, and while most would find her methods manipulative, it was more of a business transaction than anything else. It was easier to lead a lovesick puppy through the park than an adamant hound chasing after every other poodle wagging its tail either way.

"Oh you'll get plenty of time to say 'hi' to me, ALL of me, later on tonight." She quipped with an equal tone of seduction. Years ago, such raunchy banter would never have found itself at the tip of her tongue, but things had changed since then. "But for now, you should probably concentrate on your guest appearance this afternoon. Have you got your lines memorized?"

"Yeah but-"

"Hold on, I've got Crane on the other line. Talk to you later sweetie!"

"I love you Kat-" she ended the call, almost too relieved to have escaped dealing with any more of the ridiculousness, the disgusting taste of the generic pet name that managed to leave her tongue still lingering.

"Crane. Hit me", her tone of seduction replaced with a professional air within seconds.

"Miss Katniss!" The talk show host's booming voice seemed just a little too sweet for her liking. "So I'm assuming I have Clove booked for next month's Friday night segment?"

"I thought we had that arranged months ago?" She did her still wet hair into a messy haphazard bun and readjusted her receiver, "Clove made it clear that she wouldn't push through with the show unless you got that ditzy bimbo – what was her name? Glitter? to cancel her appearance. She will go on with no less."

"Oh Miss Katniss, you know we can't go without _Glimmer_. Honestly their little feud is nothing compared to the exposure this appearance will get them!"

"Crane, _Glimmer_ straight up puked on my client the last time she was seen with her. Now it wouldn't be so much of a problem if her throw-up was as sparkly and clean as her name, but the fact still stands that my client can't so much as tolerate her."

She made her way to her desk where papers and schedules took up a considerable amount of space, the only corner of the trash heap she called her desk that wasn't defiled by documents being occupied by a lone framed picture of her sister. A shadow of a smile crept onto her face before it was wiped out by the matter at hand.

Crane met her point with an exasperated sigh.

"I'll tell you what. You get Clove the main guest host spot of the show and cut down her time with Glimmer to the bare minimum of greetings and civility and I'll see what I can do."

"But Miss Katniss-"

"Just call me Kat. You're making me feel like children's book governess here."

"Kat. They were co-stars of a hit reality show for three years! You can't _not_ expect them to come on the show together! You're being unreasonable!" His tone was almost pleading, "I knew they called you 'The Beast' for a reason but this is absurd!"

"Well, last 'The Beast' checked, Clove's had two movie deals, multiple cameos in reputable soaps, and a tampon ad to her name and Glimmer's had what? Multiple DUIs, a search and arrest warrant and a washed up has-been guest appearance at Maury's. I think I'm being pretty reasonable."

"Miss Katniss! I don't think-"

"Goodbye Crane. Call me when you get Clove the spot she wants, and not the spot YOU need."

"MISS KAT-"

God she hated that guy.

Katniss relished the moment of silence as she got the rest of herself ready. She really didn't have any reason to do herself up. People found her attractive either way, but she never really got why. A soft knock on her door threw her out of her reverie.

"Kat, you up yet?" Rue, a tall, willowy, dark-skinned girl poked her head through the door timidly, almost too soft-spoken to make her presence known to the rather intimidating girl pacing around the room. "I have a go-see at eight."

Katniss looked up and smiled at the nineteen year-old girl, almost half a head taller than she. While most of her clients drove her mad, Rue was an exception. An aspiring model with a sharp face and the most piercing yet sincere golden eyes, Rue had been one of those rare finds one day in a chance coffee shop meeting. Needless to say, she was more down to earth and hardworking than most, if not all, that sought her out as a manager, more so because she was just innately kind and naïve than because she had any decent work ethic to her.

She started out as more of a charity case to Katniss, what with her uncanny resemblance to her sister, so she took her in as a boarder into her large flat, much too big for once person, and dare she say it – befriended her along the way. It became less of a chore and more of an investment when Rue started booking one job after the other, earning her fair share and actually paying rent. When the opportunity came for her to move out, it relieved Katniss when she chose not to. Contrary to popular belief, The Beast actually hated living alone, and Rue made a very good roomie.

"Yeah I'm dressed and ready to leave. I'm coming with you. We need to work out your contract." Katniss started packing a few papers and files into her messy bag as she spoke.

Rue let out a giggle as she let herself into the room.

"What is it?"

"You're still wearing your bunny slippers Katniss."

"Crap."

* * *

It was past ten when Katniss finally got the terms down for Rue's latest ramp show. Driving down to the studio was next on her agenda. At eleven, she would have to pay spectacle to what would have to be one of the most torturous half-hours of her life, where Cato would have the liberty to take a live TV crew around the studio for a behind-the-scenes look at how his multi-platinum single came to be. It would involve Cato reciting some well-scripted banter, walking around the studio like he actually knew how to work the booth, smiling charismatically at the cameras, and doing whatever she was capable of to not allow him to sing live. She didn't have the heart to tell the man that he was nothing without autotune.

Maneuvering her way through studio parking was a challenge. Katniss would never admit it, but she was not one of the best drivers in the world. It was an ongoing joke that she drove at an almost ungodly speed and wasn't one to give her signal lights the time of day. No one mentioned it in front of her, however, because no one wanted to cross The Beast. No one. Parking was yet another challenge, but most days she got by.

Today was not one of those days.

A large thud alerted her to an anomaly as she backed up her car to what she thought was a free spot. A shift forward and then back rewarded her with yet another thud, accompanied by a small 'ow'.

She got out of her car to be greeted by a motorist, toppled over behind her car, his motorbike lying in what looked like a very uncomfortable position on top of him.

"Ohgodohgodohgod. Don't sue, don't sue, don't sue. I'm _so _sorry. Are you okay?" She rushed over to the man, panic written all over her face.

He laughed a little as he pushed his bike off him, anchoring it up in a stable position before getting up himself. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little-"

"Thank goodness." Katniss dusted the man off awkwardly as he adjusted to rid himself of his helmet. "You're not gonna sue me are you? Do you have insurance? I can-"

"I'm fine. Really." He brushed her hands off him as he unclasped his helmet and took it off. "Can't say the same for my bike though."

"Oh god." Katniss shuffled around to her car to dig out her bag. "I'm sorry and all, but I'm in a huge hurry, you have no idea."

The man looked at her as if she had gone crazy.

"Here's my card, here's a few bucks and here's some Tylenol, just in case you have some head trauma or something." Katniss' words barely made sense at the speed she spoke, wanting to get away from the situation as quickly as possible. "Please don't call the police, or your lawyer, I can pay for everything, just not now. You can call me at this number-"

"I don't think this is-" The man started.

"Enough? Oh of course not."

He was going to say 'necessary'. Normally, you could count on Katniss to stay calm under all kinds of pressure, be it a major contract or the stress of handling paparazzi and scandals galore. But slap her with a vehicular accident and she's a goner. She dug around her purse once more and took out her check book.

"I don't need-" The man was frantic now. He didn't need all that much.

"Here's a blank check. Take as much as you need." Katniss handed him the slip of paper as she evaluated the scene of what she thought to be a horrendous crime.

Her car was half-parked and on hazard, the man's bike badly scratched and a crowd of people had started to assemble.

"Crap, crap, crap." She took a glance at her watch and looked up at the man pleadingly. "Do you think it would be too much to ask if you could park my car?"

The man was speechless.

"Thanks. You can leave my keys at the front desk. Say they belong to Kat. They know me." She gathered up her belongings from her car, dropped the keys into the man's hands and scuffled her way out of the scene before abruptly turning back to the man and shouting, "Remember! Call _me!_ Not your lawyer, not the police! And thanks!"

She made her way to the recording studio, dawning on some dark glasses, crouching over and covering her face for posterity, leaving the man to re-evaluate what had just happened.

* * *

"Katniss!" Cato called as the final touches to his picture perfect face were done.

"Effie! Enough with the blush, he's a pop star, not a drag queen." Katniss scolded the older woman who had an affinity for outlandish makeup and fashion as evidenced by her pale white countenance and bright orange jumpsuit.

"Hmph. I think he looks dashing." The stylist barked with an accent Katniss couldn't even begin to describe.

Katniss knew Effie grew up in Jersey, but for some reason there were bits of butchered Australian and Wales accents thrown into her intonation. If she hadn't been used to the stylists' voice by now, there was no way in hell she'd be able to take her seriously.

"Your tastes have been contested more than once Effie." Katniss shooed the flamboyant woman away before she could impose any more of her questionable taste on the star.

"Bad day?" The sound technician voiced out from behind the equipment glad to have rid himself of the nuisance that was the loud and overbearing stylist.

"You have no idea, Cinna."

Cinna just smiled a knowing smile. In stark contrast to the walking LED that was Effie, Cinna often dawned himself in minimalistic attire. Katniss teased him on more than one occasion about his liking for the Steve Jobs getup. Today, he was no different in a black v-neck tee and some rugged jeans and some surprisingly classy shoes, the only piece of equipment distinguishing him as a necessary part of staff being the large headphones plugged into the sound system. Otherwise, he would be just one of Katniss' more stylish friends. She rolled her eyes at him and turned her attention to the subject of everybody's concern as of the moment.

Cato, with a perpetual smile plastered on his face, walked toward her, arms open and ready for a bear hug. She quickly dodged him made her way into the sound booth for a quick talk with the rest of the technicians.

"What, no hello?" He followed her into the booth and leaned against the frame of its partition, allowing a boyish smirk to grace his face.

"Not now Cato. Did you learn your lines?" Katniss let out an exasperated sigh as she did her best to indulge one of her most successful clients.

"About that – I was thinking that maybe I should wing it this time. You know, take a cue from Drew Carrey on 'Whose Line'. That show is hilarious." He slung his arm around the small frame of his manager.

It took Katniss no less than a second to twist the artist's arm into himself and have him in a less-than-playful headlock.

"Cato, we talked about this. Stick to the script." She smiled sweetly.

"I love it when you get rough." He managed to let out a strained laugh before he was released from The Beast's death grip.

"You stick to the script, give them your biggest smiles and we play a clip of your newest and hottest music video. That's it."

He gave her a small pout before conceding. "I can never say no to my little kitty cat."

Katniss turned to him and pulled his collar violently. "I told you not to call me that in public."

Cato pried himself away from her grip and readjusted his collar, giving her a knowing smirk. "You're no fun."

Katniss pushed the larger man out of the booth with some effort. "We can have all the fun you want later, but for now, what did I tell you?"

"Don't deviate, don't mess up, don't sing live. If they want to hear my precious voice live, they pay for tickets." He winked at her, "Got it Katniss."

She smiled back at him. "Good."

"Yo Kat, the TV crew's setup at the entrance. We're on in five." The studio hand called out from outside their booth.

"Well, you better get out there, tiger." She turned back to him, giving his cheek a playful pat.

"No prob. I'll meet you back here for the show finale. Make sure to make me look good." He took her hand in his and flashed his winning smile before vanishing into the hallway.

Katniss plopped into the couch, all too ready to give up the ruse that was her hidden affection for the musician.

"What was that?" Cinna wore a devious smile as he prodded her teasingly.

"If it gets the hulk to do my bidding, I'm doing it Cinna. You know me. I would never-"

"Mmhmmm." He indulged the girl who was now kicking her shoes off as she adjusted her legs into a more comfortable position on the listeners' couch before he turned back to the screen that was now specially propped up in front of them for monitoring. "He'll be fine, really. No need for all the effort."

"If only you knew." Katniss laughed at his condescending tone. "2 minutes left. Got anything else for me?"

"Just so you know, he couldn't stop talking about you. I think he's a goner, this one." Cinna couldn't really understand why Katniss chose to manipulate the poor boy. It's not like anyone could say no to Katniss. They were either greeted by her stern and unyielding business savvy or the endearing girl that she truly was behind the mask. Either side was very difficult to say no to. "Gale almost punched him the other day at recording. I think he knows."

"Please Cinna. It's not cheating. Gale knows how this business works, and I'm sure he isn't partial to Cato's divo attitude either." Katniss shifted in her seat uncomfortably at the shift in topic. "I'm sure if he could rile up all the other stuck up musicians he's had to face with just a little seduction, he'd do it too."

"Ew. Bad mental image Kat." Cinna cringed. "Just – no."

Katniss laughed. "You get my point then."

"Doesn't make it any less wrong."

Katniss ignored him. "Thirty seconds."

"Let's hope your seduction really does do the trick then, shall we?" Cinna adjusted the sound levels as the opening song sequence started up.

"He's not messing this one up."

* * *

"How could you mess this one up!" Katniss let out, throwing her bag at the tower of a man in front of her. "I told you not to sing live!"

"It was one of the TV crew member's birthday! They asked me to sing him a Happy Birthday! What could I do? Say no?" Cato threw the bag back at her.

"YES!" Katniss threw it back at him, hitting him square in the face before he caught it in his hands.

"What, so I should have said _yes_?" Cato tossed it back at her, making it fall in front of her feet.

"NO! Say no!" She picked up the bag and flailed it around menacingly, threatening to throw it again.

"You're making my head hurt." Cato rubbed his temples furiously as he tried to comprehend the flurry of information. A game of catch was one thing, his manager and secret girlfriend yelling at him was another.

"Gah!" Just as she was about to throw the bag back at the big lug in front of her, Cinna caught her wrist and turned her around.

"Just – stop with the throwing now, 'kay? I think the poor boy's had enough." He sat her down onto the couch and placed her bag a safe enough distance away from her to avoid any further throwing. He eyed the lamp beside her cautiously, hoping she wouldn't decide to throw that one as well.

"You _should_ have said no. You had a _cold_ today, remember? You were in no condition to exert your voice like that. We _talked_ about this scenario." She tried as best as she could to keep her temper in check.

"But it wasn't on the script! I _memorized_ the script!" He scratched his head in frustration, "You know I don't do well under pressure!"

Katniss looked up at the singer to see tears brimming in his eyes. "Oh god, don't cry. Cato, don't cry. DAMNIT. Don't you dare!"

The waterworks came.

"Oh god. Damage control. Cinna, call the TV station, tell them Cato had an ear infection, a cold, anything that makes sense. Make it believable. Tell them we'll have him in any other show they want. Just fix it." Katniss walked over to the bawling musician with a facial wipe, rubbing his back as he bit back tears. "I'm sorry Cato. Don't cry, please don't cry."

God she hated it when divos cried. Cinna left the room, his eyes lingering at the odd sight in front of him before he called Cato's publicist.

"I-it wasn't that bad. W-was it?" He looked at her, tears streaming down his face generously.

"Uh. You had a cold. It was understandable that your voice wasn't in the greatest shape." She returned kindly, continuing her comforting therapy. "You shouldn't have strained it like that. Any other day would have been fine."

What could she do? Tell the poor guy he was tone deaf and reduce him into an even more pitiful ball of tears than he was now? She didn't think that was a good idea.

"Y-yeah. I guess you're right." He let back, mustering up a watery smile. "I shouldn't have done that, huh?"

"Yeah. You shouldn't have." She tried to hide the exasperation in her voice as she settled the sobbing star into the couch. She knew she wasn't very good with children. Actually, she wasn't good with people in general outside a professional setting, and with this oversized man-child bawling before her she was at a loss for words. "Want me to sing for you again?"

Cato sniffed as he balled himself up and settled his head on her lap. "Yes please."

Katniss had learned over the years that if there was one way to shut people up, it was with her voice. She used a stern voice for discipline, a calm voice for negotiation, and a seductive purr if all else failed. Far from her normal steady and unyielding voice which made people take her seriously, however, many a person had told her that her singing voice was one that could calm even the most raging storm. She knew it was an exaggeration, but on days like these it was a welcome gift, one that she chose only to use sparingly after she sent her sister away to boarding school.

There was once a time Katniss wasn't afraid to sing – music had been an integral part of her life after all – but after the incident years ago, it left a bad taste in her mouth, a reminder of her painful past. Looking down at the crumpled piece of stardom that lay on her lap at this moment, despite his whimpering being more than an overreaction, she couldn't help but feel familiar to the feeling of having to comfort someone with a song. She had done it many times with her sister on the worst of days, and something about the star's blonde hair and blue eyes made her partial to him, albeit only sufficiently enough to allow her to look past his horrible attitude.

As the last few notes of the song drew to a close, the faint sound of footsteps alerted her to an impending presence.

"Get up." She said hastily, adjusting her skirt and standing up, making sure no evidence of what had just conspired was left. She looked to Cato to see that he now had a small smile on his face, his blue eyes meeting her face in what she dreadfully recognized as a lovelorn look.

A few seconds later and his gaze was broken by the entrance of a foreboding figure.

"Ah, Miss Everdeen." The sickly deep voice enunciated every syllable with a lingering drawl which reminded her of a snake.

"Mister Snow." Katniss eyes widened.

"Dad!" Cato voiced in surprise before going over to the man and capturing him in an embrace. "When did you get here?"

"Well Mister Gale over here drove me to the studio after your – appearance." He eyed Katniss slowly as if she were a lamb ready for the slaughter. "Miss Everdeen did quite a job, didn't she?"

Katniss bit back a gulp at the sound of the name that was once hers.

Gale stepped up after him, a look of worry clearly written on his face upon seeing the two in the room.

"It's Miss Hawthorne, Mister Snow. I'm sure you haven't forgotten that we're married now. _We have been for seven years_." Gale managed to let out a forced laugh before walking over to Katniss and wrapping a possessive arm around her waist, as if to remind the father and son of their relationship. "Good to see you doing so well Cato."

Cato glared at the man, who now had the object of his affection in his arms. "You too, Gale. Have another hit single for me?" The contempt in his voice unmistakably obvious.

"Now, now. Gale. I'm sure Mister Snow just forgot. And Cato, Gale's a music producer, not a miracle worker. He'll get your next single out when it's ready, 'kay?" Katniss chose her words carefully as she evaluated the situation. She did not want to cross any of the three men in the room at this moment.

"Ah yes. You know me. My memory fails me at times." Snow smiled at his son and then back at the couple before continuing. "I'm aware that my son came to work with a cold today?"

His tone was more than accusatory.

"And yet he was forced to do such a heavy TV assignment." He shook his head in disappointment, patting his son on the shoulder and feigning concern.

"The studio tour was scheduled a month in advance, even before his single became a hit –" Katniss tried to explain, "There was no way to cancel –"

"I insisted Dad. It's not her fault." Cato chimed in, trying to help. "I overestimated myself. I thought I could exert my voice. I didn't think it would-"

"Still. You are Miss Hawthorne's responsibility. I don't let you make your way to her apartment every other night to have you going AWOL." Snow eyed the couple menacingly, Gale giving Katniss' waist a comforting squeeze.

Katniss couldn't believe she was having this conversation with Gale in the room. There were no words for how guilty she felt at this moment.

"I'm sorry. I'll make sure nothing like this happens ever again." She trained her eyes to the floor, at a loss as to how to handle the situation that just blew up in her face.

"And I'll have Cato's next single ready by next week." Gale provided, wanting to ease the blame away from Katniss. "Just a few more tweaks here and there and it'll be another hit."

"Oh, there's no need for that." Snow smiled cryptically, "I've already decided Cato's next project."

Gale mouth hung open. "What do you mean?"

"Oh don't you worry Mr. Gale. You'll still be producing this one." His last few syllables were drawn out far more than necessary. "I just thought we'd go for a different direction."

Katniss nodded and Cato shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"What did you have in mind?" Gale rubbed his chin, a habit he had developed over the years when he was in a pinch.

"Oh, I'll inform you when the papers are finalized." He laughed as he began to make his way out the door. "Let's just say we don't have all the rights yet. But once we do, we'll be remaking one of the nation's greatest hits."

Cato joined his father out the door, sparing a few seconds to throw Katniss an apologetic grin before letting himself out of the awkward atmosphere.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Katniss murmured as the faint footsteps signaled that it was safe to breath.

"You're not the only one." Gale plopped down onto the listeners' couch and stared up at his best friend. "Dinner?"

"Dinner sounds awesome."

* * *

"Thanks for covering for me back there." Katniss broke the silence of the meal as she dug into the remnants of her dessert. "Didn't think I could speak up after being called – you know. It's just been so long."

"Hey, it's no problem. You're supposed to be my _wife,_ remember?" Gale laughed as he watched Katniss lick her spoon like a child, despite there not being a trace of dessert left on the utensil. "Though it kind of bugs me that you're going out with Cato of all people."

"I'm not _going_ _out_ with him. I'm doing it so he won't be so much of an ass all the time. You know he won't listen to me otherwise." Katniss let out, resigned to whatever scolding she was bound to get. But it never came.

Gale just looked up at her doubtfully and continued with his meal, letting a few more minutes pass without any conversation between them.

"I can't thank you enough you know?" She said finally, "After all these years, letting me use you like this."

Gale shrugged. "Well technically, you're not really using _me_, you're just using my name."

She looked up at him, a layer of guilt covering her face. "You know it's the same thing."

Gale Hawthorne was her best friend, even before the incident that left her life in pieces. Gale was just as musically oriented as she was, though she didn't dare admit to him that he had bested her where arranging music was concerned. They were virtually inseparable through music school and had formed an informal bond within the confines of their friendship. They'd promised each other to stick it out together, even when they hit it big time, making sure one's success was not without the other's and for a time, that was how it was. The day her father died, Gale was determined to not let that promise go. When her father died and the pain of carrying his name, yet another reminder of the mistakes which had left a permanent mark on her, became too much she abandoned her identity entirely – her life, her past and any future people had come to associate with the Everdeen name.

She hadn't married Gale outright, it wasn't official and it wasn't on paper. He had just offered his name to her one rather depressing day, a day when she refused to leave her room and had threatened to end it right then and there. That day, Gale hadn't just offered her his name, but a chance to start from scratch and erase any painful memories she wouldn't have been able to escape otherwise. She agreed and one day, she had just started using his name, introducing herself as Katniss Hawthorne and reprogramming herself to think that she was Katniss Hawthorne from birth.

Looking back, it would have been easier if she had introduced herself as his sister, they were, after all, not that different where looks were concerned – grey eyes, dark hair and tanner-than-average skin. Gale, however, had insisted, convinced that he could do more for her this way.

Gale helped her back on her feet. He gave up his dreams of stardom in exchange for stability as a music producer and got her started as an agent. Even then, they worked as a team, and people didn't question their relationship with how well they worked. Over the years, Gale was thankful for the change. He began to be cynical at what the music industry had become, favoring looks and status to actual talent. Katniss refrained from indulging him and telling him he was right, that he could probably sing and play circles around everybody that was famous right now. She didn't want to fuel his ego.

Katniss on the other hand had tried to avoid music entirely, choosing only to deal with it indirectly through her clients. She even went so far as to distance herself from Gale himself, getting her own apartment and seeing him only when her clients had recording sessions. Gale didn't question it. He knew it was difficult for her, and if it meant she was more comfortable, he let it be. Even then, it was difficult. But Gale got her through it. They maintained their cover up marriage for convenience, and Gale didn't complain. And how did she repay him? By sleeping around with Cato, putting her job before her friendship and fake marriage. Days like these reminded her of that and made her feel like a horrible person.

"I'm sure you'd have done the same thing for me." Gale dismissed the topic as he paid the bill. He took her hand in his and led her out of the restaurant. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

Gale dropped her off at her apartment, bidding her goodbye with a soft kiss to her temple and she returned it with a soft kiss to his lips, a kiss that she had grown so accustomed to over the years that she had thought nothing more of it. Today however, was different.

Gale lingered on her kiss, repaying her by trailing her soft kiss with many of his own, along her jaw, down her neck and on her collarbone.

"Gale-" Katniss let out airily.

"Shh." Gale whispered against the skin of her neck, "I need this."

Katniss couldn't argue. She had already taken so much. She felt obliged to give back. Taking Gale's lips into her own, she deepened her kisses, snaking her arms around his neck and letting herself melt into his form.

Gale crashed his lips down onto hers, desperate for something more as he pushed her frame against the door of her apartment. Katniss let out a gasp as her back met the hard surface, granting Gale access deeper into her mouth. She battled back with a push of her own, their bodies meeting and the heat getting almost unbearable.

Gale's hands trailed down the small of her back, leaving patches of warmth where they left her, finally settling themselves on her thighs, lifting her up and pushing her up against the door so she was now straddling him.

Needless to say, they would have gone much further had Katniss apartment door not opened to reveal a tall blonde staring at them as they both crashed down on the floor from the sudden disappearance of the support they had been leaning on.

"I knew I heard something outside." The girl was grinning widely.

"Prim!" Katniss let out a surprised gasp as she stood up awkwardly, arranging herself, hoping to god this did not make her sister think any less of her.

Gale did the same beside her, before clearing his throat and scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "You're back."

There the blonde teen stood, eye to eye with her sister, the smirk on her face hinting that she would not let Katniss live this moment down until they were both old and grey. She surveyed the scene in front of them before finally stepping aside to let them in.

"When did you- How did you-" Katniss let herself in and gestured Gale to follow her. If she was going to suffer her sister's inquisition she was not doing it alone, she decided firmly, all selfless thoughts thrown out the window as she was now faced with her latest predicament.

Gale begrudgingly followed her in as they awaited Prim's explanation.

"Rue let me in." She stated simply, gesturing to the girl who was now enjoying sliced mangoes while watching a repeat of Cato's TV appearance in the living room.

"Hey Katniss!" She smiled innocently. "She came by a few hours ago. I didn't think you'd be back home this late."

Katniss looked at Prim, then at Rue, then at the TV and then back to Gale, who shrugged, as uncomfortable in this position just as she was.

"Oh lighten up. I'm nineteen. It's not like I haven't seen my fair share of girls getting down and dirty." Prim rolled her eyes as she shut the door and took her place beside Rue, her eyes now trained on the TV. "To my defense, I _did_ try looking at the peep hole before opening the door, but I could only make out a mop of dark hair."

"I'm sorry about this Gale." Katniss looked at him apologetically. "Did you want some coffee?"

Gale looked down at his feet and smiled. "Nah, I should probably get going. I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on." He shot a playful look at Prim before waving a goodbye and making his way back to the door.

"Hey, Gale!" Prim called back before he left, "Thanks for taking good care of my sister." She gave him a wink and returned his wave.

"No prob. See you tomorrow then Katniss?"

"Yeah." She replied, still not knowing what to make of everything that just happened. "Thanks again for – yeah."

Gale laughed and shut the door behind him.

When the door shut, Katniss kicked off her shoes and joined the other two girls on the couch. "Well that was awkward."

"Not really." Prim returned teasingly, passing the bowl of sliced mangoes to Katniss, "So how's my brother-in-law been doing?"

"He's fine." Katniss replied, tired of the subject, "But the man you're watching on TV now is giving both of us major problems."

Prim and Rue laughed. Katniss was just thankful that the TV station had the propriety to cut out Cato's live singing for the repeat broadcast. She didn't think she had enough in her to witness the scene twice today, or any day for that matter.

"I think he's cute." Rue supplied as she flipped the channels, noticing the muddled frustration in Katniss' tone. She was aware of what went on when Cato paid her late night visits, but she knew Katniss well enough not to judge. Katniss was a good person, although her view of work and how to manage some of her clients was still a little warped.

"Then you can have him." Katniss laughed, grateful when Prim grabbed the remote and turned the TV off completely. "By the way Rue, how was your go-see?"

"Oh that." Rue's mood seemed to dampen. "They wanted me to pose nude." Her nose crinkled in disgust. "I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

Katniss understood and just nodded. "There are other jobs out there."

"I'mma go shower. I've got another go-see tomorrow." Rue got up and left the two sisters to their own devices.

"So." Prim began.

"So." Katniss replied.

It was five summers ago that Katniss decided she didn't want her sister anywhere near the spotlight, in fear that it would turn her into the monsters she'd become accustomed to dealing with everyday. So she sent her out of state to study, only seeing her once a year during their break. That break had come by again this year, and Katniss had almost forgotten her sister was coming entirely. It seemed ironic to her that doing what was best for the person she considered most important in the world actually ended up making Katniss cast her aside completely.

"Mom's doing better." Prim supplied, trying to break the silence. She had forgotten when it became a chore to actually talk to her sister. She loved her, but most of the decisions Katniss made in life, she questioned strongly. That being said, she respected her enough to let her make her own calls. "She asks about you, you know?"

"You sure she even remembers me?" Katniss replied, going with the flow. They both knew their mother wasn't in the best of conditions. Alzheimer's had left her a shadow of the woman she used to be, and it worsened considerably after her father's death.

"She does." Prim leaned on the couch, settling her head on her sister's shoulder. "She just doesn't remember you aren't twelve anymore."

Katniss smiled despite it all. She was happy at least one of the people she held dear didn't have to deal with the aftermath of her father's death. It had been a good ten years since his death, and she found comfort in the fact that her mother could enjoy the present as she had in the past, perpetually.

"I think she thinks I'm Aunt Maysilee." Prim laughs bitterly, "Always calling me over to grab the kids."

"Well you do somewhat look like her." Katniss teased as she pulled on the pigtail Prim's hair was done into that night. "It's getting late, little duck. You thinking of turning in?"

Prim looked at her sister before burying her face into Katniss' shoulder. "Tomorrow'll be better won't it?"

Katniss gave her sister a reassuring pat on the head. "Days like these, I don't even know anymore."

Getting up to make her way into the spare bedroom, Prim gave her sister one last consoling look. "Goodnight Kat."

"'Night Prim."

* * *

**Notes:** Aww, no Katniss/Peeta interaction just yet (_or was there? Dun dun dunnnn)_ The first chapter was actually supposed to be much longer, but I found that if I split it into two, the themes would run much deeper. **READER POP QUIZ: How many times was the Chapter Theme mentioned in the chapter? Reply in the comments below **

I've been playing with this idea for awhile now, and finally built up most of the plot after being inspired by watching a TV broadcast of Brittany Murphy's Uptown Girl. The plot has nothing to do with the movie, but it draws on the same tone. I have a habit of shifting atmospheres quite quickly, and it happens more than once in this story, so don't be surprised if I tend to insert a bit of comedic relief in some dramatic areas of the plot, it's just the way I write, as you've probably noticed. I have half of the next chapter ready, and it will probably take me three days to be fully pleased with it, so I hope you can wait until then. I know where I am and I know where I'm headed, so all the fun in writing is going to be how I'm going to get there. I'm planning on making this a three-shot story. So please stay tuned and tell me what you think ;)

**Next Chapter Preview:**

_**Chapter 2: The Storm**_

_Katniss woke up the next day to the sound of nothingness. She spent a good ten minutes staring up at the ceiling before finally forcing herself out of bed. It was unusual not to have her phone buzzing from the get go, but today was just one of those days, she assumed – the calm before the storm._

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	2. The Storm

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 7,694 words

Warnings: Mature (more of post-trackerjacker) Peeta, heavy and depressing themes, Snow. Just Effin' Snow.

* * *

First off I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed and added this story to their alerts and favorites list. A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally, **Holley**,** KinnaFatniss** (lol, I love your name), **Sarah**, **GIFtoJPG**, **Cannoli**, and **LiveLaughLovekataang.**

To address the questions or comments from those listed above:

**Marj**: Boo. You were the only one who answered the pop quiz, so you got a _sneak peek_ of this chapter already. Congrats for the effort. Scroll down to see the rest you haven't already read.

**KinnaFatniss:** I'm aware that my first chapter was pretty long, and I'm not going to lie, this one is going to be pretty long as well. I was planning on making this story a three-shot (not going to anymore, I think), but I'll see what chapter length (and as a corollary chapter number) is most conducive to story progression. I'm sorry if the blocks of text make you queasy X(

**GIFtoJPG: **This chapter answers your first question. Might I say, you have a good eye for things. Glad to see someone noticed the differences in Katniss' relationships with the men in her life. You'll get to see a lot more of that in this chapter.

**Cannoli:** Yeah, I do have plans on including Finnick, Madge, and Johanna in the **next** chapter. Haymitch makes his appearance in this one.

I got quite a few story alerts for this one, but don't be afraid to make your presence known guys. It really encourages me when I get a lot of feedback, and I try as much as possible to acknowledge and reply to each one.

BTW, this is a pretty heavy chapter. A bit of a downer if you ask me, but I tried to fit in as much plot progression as I could. I hope the K/P interaction makes up for it. Don't worry. It'll get light and fluffier as the story progresses in next chapters, but yeah. It was pretty hard to write.

So, on to the chapter then!

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Storm**

Katniss woke up the next day to the sound of nothingness. She spent a good ten minutes staring up at the ceiling before finally forcing herself out of bed. It was unusual not to have her phone buzzing from the get go, but today was just one of those days, she assumed – the calm before the storm. If she was lucky, the figurative storm would come soon. She wasn't used to not constantly being badgered about schedules and appointments, but she really didn't have anything scheduled today, and it wasn't like people called her up because they wanted to hear her voice.

She made her way to the bathroom for a shower and took her time as she felt the warm droplets of moisture against her skin.

No, she had left this day free of appointments, distractions. It was a day of meditation, self-reflection and solemnity.

As she got out of the shower she contemplated the significance of this day. She dug around her closet for the familiar blue dress she donned on such occasions. It was simple, what most would consider out of style and old-fashioned. She couldn't care less. Such days called for simplicity.

She left her room to find that Prim was already seated on the couch, an arrangement of white flowers on her lap. A few of the petals had found their way onto the floor. Prim had the habit of plucking them in her nervousness, but Katniss had neither the strength or the heart to scold her for it. Instead, she picked the stray petals up and let them float above a bowl of water she had prepared.

"Rue left earlier. She sends her regards." Prim watched as Katniss set the bowl on the dining table.

"Have you eaten?" Katniss asked. She knew Prim would say no, but it was more of a formality than anything. Both of them knew that neither had the appetite on this particular day of the year.

"You ready?" Prim called, almost in a whisper.

"Yeah. Let's go." Katniss made her way out, halfway through the door before realizing. "Crap."

"What is it?" Her sister voiced out behind her, peering over her shoulder to see if she had forgotten anything.

"I left my keys at the studio." Katniss stated simply.

Between the stress of yesterday's vehicular mishap, Cato's big TV blunder, Snow's unexpected drop-by and the embarrassing fiasco that was Gale's exuberant display of affection, she had totally forgotten about her car, most likely still parked at the studio parking. She cringed at the possible fine for overnight parking. She had planned on picking up her keys and driving home, but Gale's invitation to dinner had sidetracked her.

"I still have my car." Prim offered, shrugging, "That is if you're not too rich and successful to mind driving around in an old sedan."

Katniss shrugged and nodded. She repeated to herself what she had been thinking earlier. Such days called for simplicity.

The trip to the cemetery was like all the others they had taken since that day. With all the effort Katniss had gone through to forget the incident, to erase it from their lives and act as if it never happened, this day out of all the days in a year was the only occasion that she willingly allowed herself to remember. She hadn't even gone on the day of his funeral, or the next three years after his death for that matter. It took a hardened slap from her then twelve year-old sister to talk her into actually visiting his grave. In all her twenty-seven years, Katniss had not seen such strength from anyone as she did in her sister that day. It was funny how a twelve year-old had more maturity at that time than herself at twenty. A few days later when Gale came around with his grand offer, she decided to pick herself up, if not for herself, then for her sister. Since then, it had become somewhat of a tradition for the two to make their way to their father's grave together, and today was the day.

They took their time at their father's gravestone. No tears were shed, not because they weren't sad, but because they had made it a point to live on, and crying wasn't going to do them any good. Where maturity was concerned, the eight years that separated them meant nothing. They were both adult enough to accept what they couldn't change, Prim was just more optimistic about it.

"You still going to work today?" The younger sister asked as she fiddled with the weeds that had sprouted at the sides of the grave. "To pick up your car at least?"

"I left my entire day free. To be honest I don't feel like letting myself near any of that today." Katniss let out dully. What was a few dollars of extra parking fee going to amount to anyway? "Why, you got anything else planned?"

"No, not really." She pulled a rather stubborn weed from the ground, "Just thought you'd have better things to do than waste your time here with me and dad."

"I didn't hate him, Prim." Katniss found it hard to be convincing when she couldn't quite convince herself, "I don't hate you either." That at least, she was sure of.

"Well you should know I don't hate you either. Neither did he. He didn't blame you, you know?"

Katniss didn't answer and instead looked up at the sky. It was a blue-ish grey tint and dark clouds whelmed forebodingly on the horizon. What looked to be a storm was forming.

"We better get a move on, looks like it's gonna-" Katniss was cut off by the abrupt sound of her phone ringing. She inwardly cursed herself for forgetting to change her ringtone back after Cato took the liberty of assaulting her with a noise barrage of his latest single.

"Is that-?" Prim tried to bite back laughter.

"Don't ask." Katniss cut her off as she answered her phone putting an end to the irritating noise. She raised her finger at Prim, shushing her before any further teasing could occur.

"Hello, Gale? What is it?" She answered harshly without intending to, "You know what day it is. What's up?"

"Katniss, you might want to come in today." His voice sounded uncharacteristically urgent. "Can you be here in fifteen minutes?"

"I'm with Prim right now. I don't think I'll have time to bring her home." She reasoned.

"Then bring her along. She might be able to shed some light on what the hell is happening." Gale voice was frantic.

"We talked about this Gale. Prim and work are two separate things. I am _not_ bringing her to that place." Prim stuck her tongue out at her playfully before resuming her assault on the weeds.

"Well you don't have much of a choice. Leave her outside the office for all I care. We need you here, _now._" And then he hung up.

"What was it?" Prim stood up and dusted herself off.

"Looks like I'm going to work after all." Katniss shot Prim a sympathetic smile before grabbing her hand in hers. "And you're coming along."

"What does Gale need _me_ for? Do I get to meet Cato?" Prim's eyes lit up at the prospect.

"Like hell you are." Katniss shot any hopes Prim had brewing down as she dragged her down the hill back to their car, laughing along the way. "In fact, I'll make it my personal agenda to keep that man-child as far away as I can from you."

Prim pouted playfully as she got into the car following Katniss. "Eh, it was worth a shot."

"So much for solemnity." Katniss muttered to herself as she relished the sibling banter they had been able to sustain despite the occasion.

* * *

Katniss left Prim at the lobby before making her way into her agency's main office. It was rare for her to actually drop in; most of her work was very hands-on with her clientele, and most of the paperwork she did from the comfort of her own home.

It was to her surprise then when the people on duty actually looked like they were expecting her as they all stood up, greeting her with almost apologetic looks on their faces as she walked on by.

'What the hell is going on?' she thought to herself, an odd feeling of apprehension crawling up her spine as she neared her own office.

"Katniss!" Gale caught her arm before dragging her into a corner.

"What the hell Gale?" Katniss let out, surprised by the firm grip that held her in place.

"We don't have much time." Gale started, "Did you sign any release forms for your dad's last few albums?"

"What! No! Of course not." Katniss answered, not knowing where Gale was headed with this. She hadn't so much as touched her dad's work in ages, much less allowed for its distribution. If there was one thing she could be sure of, it's that she had taken all the effort in the world to avoid having to even acknowledge her dad's work existed.

"Well this will come as news to you too then." Gale released her from his grip as he looked around exasperated.

"What do you mean?"

He held her gaze in his before breaking it to her. "Snow's got the rights to _all_ your dad's work, Katniss."

It took a few seconds for Gale's words to register.

"He _owns_ your dad's work."

Katniss didn't even have the time to process Gale's oversimplification of the matter before she was dragged further along the hall and into a large boardroom.

"That's what he's been planning all along." Gale explained, his face void of emotion. "_Going a different direction_ my ass. There's no way in _hell_ I'm producing Cato's next album."

Katniss had a million thoughts running through her mind at once, the most ironic of which was that although she had set this day aside to allow herself a measure of vulnerability, to pay tribute to her father, she was in no way ready to face the daunting mountain that was his entire musical career. _Why this?_ She thought to herself. Was this some sort of divine retribution?

She looked across the boardroom to see the people present for what could possibly be the biggest bombshell in her career. There sat a few publicists she had become acquainted with over the span of her time in the industry, their head of marketing, a few notable music producers, Gale taking his place amongst them as he shot a helpless look at her, and off to the side, looking as if he definitely did not want to be there, sat Cato, fidgeting with the phone in his hands, his eyes trained on it as if it were the most interesting thing in the world at the moment.

The man of the moment had yet to make an appearance and Katniss hoped on the off chance that he never would, she would be spared from whatever personal torture the heavens had in store for her. Without letting her so much as complete her thoughts, a heavy arm rested itself on her shoulder and she was met with the most terrifying pair of eyes she had ever seen.

His eyes now meeting hers in a gaze that seemed impossible to break, Snow wore a sly smile as he squeezed her shoulder, more to taunt her than anything else. "It looks like we can finally start now that Mrs. Hawthorne is here." He cleared his throat before he dropped the bomb, "Or shall I say Miss Katniss Everdeen, daughter of the late Joseph Everdeen."

The air stood still at the revelation and an eerie quiet dominated the room. Katniss could almost hear the sweat that began trailing down her neck, not having been prepared to be outed to this many people, at least not today.

She was well aware that Snow knew of the secret behind the ruse that was her cover-up marriage with Gale. He had hired her in the most unusual of circumstances, three years after the disappearance of any trace of news on the Everdeens, a family so well-known where music was concerned. It was odd that he didn't at all question her similarity in stature and in name to the daughter of the late musician and she figured he knew, but had the decency to not press on with any prying questions. Obviously, she was wrong, and over the years for working for the man, she had begun to understand that CEO Snow was just _not_ a nice man. In the back of her head, she knew it wouldn't last. She just wished it didn't have to end like this, with Snow wrapping her around his finger.

Cato looked at her, face full or remorse, regret and fear. She merely gulped, biting back the tears that threatened to fall. All eyes were now trained on her, some unbelieving, some just flabbergasted, and others itching to alert the press. Gale shook his head, at a loss.

"Why so quiet everyone?" Snow belted out in laughter. "This is a day of celebration!" He gave Katniss a good slap on the back, knocking the air out of her. "What better way to commemorate the death of one of this Nation's greatest musicians than by paying tribute to him and his work with a remake album, sung by the new generation's biggest star, not to mention, produced and supervised by his very own _daughter_!"

_Silence_.

"So you're telling us, that Miss Hawthorne here-" A producer, quivering and confused as anyone else, gestured to the unimposing woman who wore her hair in a simple braid and maintained a face free of makeup, and gawked. "- is _Joseph_ _Everdeen's daughter_._" _His tone was incredulous at best. "_She _was lead singer of the band that almost rivaled that of her father's, _The Mockingjay_?"

Gale stood up, not being to take any more. "Even if that _is_ true, you expect us to just remake an entire album, out of the blue? What right do you have? Do any of us even have a say in this?"

"That's what this _ meeting_ is for, young man." Snow managed his tone, although it was obvious that the producer had stepped out of line. "I'm giving all of you the chance to be part of what may be this company's biggest project yet. That or be terminated."

It wasn't really a choice.

"You should be happy you've even been invited Mister Hawthorne-" Snow addressed the tall producer as he started pacing through the room. "What with having withheld the knowledge of the whereabouts of Miss Everdeen this entire time."

Gale was furious. "She is my _wife."_ He said through clenched teeth.

"Not on paper she isn't." Snow answered with a tone of nonchalance as he dropped yet another bomb which solicited gasps from those present. Cato sat up at the news. "I checked."

He made his way around the room so he was now face to face with the producer. Gale recoiled at the strong scent of the man's perfume, so strong he could barely breath.

"And you're wrong about another thing, Mister Hawthorne. I do have the right, or rather, rights, to do anything I want with Joseph Everdeen's music. Bless his soul."

"That can't be possible." Katniss muttered under her breath.

"What was that Miss Everdeen?" Snow redirected his attention to the woman who had her fists clenched tight. "You're going to have to speak up darling, I'm afraid we can't hear your beautiful voice."

"That can't be possible." Katniss said with more fervor. "I didn't sign any papers. This doesn't have my consent."

Snow laughed, all too amused with her naiveté. "Oh darling, of course you didn't." Snow clasped his hands together, almost giddy to break the girl in front of him. "Your mother did."

Katniss couldn't hide the shock from her face. "Mom?"

"She was quite happy to if you ask me." It was as if Snow relished the poor girl's pain. "Quaint little woman. She even sent her blessing."

"And what makes you think I'm giving you mine?" Katniss said defiantly, digging for anything to get herself out of this. "I never said I would produce or supervise any of this. In fact, I don't want to have anything to do with this."

Snow made his way toward the trembling girl and fisted her braid in his hand delicately as he whispered. "You might want to choose your words carefully my dear. I'd hate for the press to paint a picture of a dark summer night, a few drinks here and there, maybe a little substance abuse and just how bad a father Joseph Everdeen really was."

Katniss stiffened as Snow continued to taunt her, unbeknownst to those in the room. "I know all about your family's dirty secrets Katniss. I didn't roll around in the dirt of your father's shoes for nothing."

He let her braid go and turned gleefully to his subordinates, a mask of professionalism pristinely covering his face.

"So now that all that's addressed, I'm guessing everybody is willing to contribute their talents to this wonderful effort?"

Katniss had nothing left to say, so she nodded. Snow had her cornered, and he knew it.

"Wonderful then. I'll expect a progress report and task delegation by tomorrow. Meeting adjourned."

* * *

"What just happened in there?" Gale asked her as the room started to clear out. "I can't believe you agreed to that."

"He schooled me. That's what happened." Katniss could only let out a sarcastic laugh before crumbling into a mess of tears in the man's arms. "I can't face him, Gale. I-I can't. It was my fault- He shouldn't have died. I can't-" Ten years of tears seemed to flow out all at once.

"Shh." Gale took her into his arms and cradled her between sobs, rubbing his hand on her back and just wishing there was more he could do for her. He had taken it upon himself to protect her and he failed even at that. "It wasn't your fault. You don't have to do this."

"I _have_ to Gale." She cried into his shirt. "Else, I'd be a worse daughter than I already am."

"Katniss?" Prim walked up from behind the heavy doors to find the two, immediately rushing to their side. "Katniss, what's wrong?"

"Prim, you need to get back to your mom." Gale urged her suddenly, not wanting to have to explain the entire debacle. If he knew one thing about Katniss, it was that Prim meant everything to her, and looking weak in front of her sister was at the bottom or her list of things to be seen doing. "You need to get to your mother and see what the hell is going on with her signing documents and release forms and-"

"Documents?" Prim's narrowed. "What documents?"

"Just get there, and ask her if she's met with anybody. If she signed any papers." Gale directed. "Be discreet, I need to know what the _hell_ is going on."

Prim nodded, knowing that it wasn't her place to pry at the moment. "Katniss, will you be okay?"

"I-I'll be f-fine, little duck." Katniss managed between sobs, burying her face further into Gale's shirt.

"You take care now." Gale called out as Prim went, turning her back oh so often to make sure her sister didn't just spontaneously combust. "She'll be fine. I promise. I'll take care of her."

Quietly, too quiet for anyone to hear, Prim muttered, "She isn't yours to take care of."

* * *

Katniss woke up in a room that wasn't her own, unfamiliar bed sheets tucked around her frame and the strong scent of coffee wafting through the air.

"G'morning sunshine."

Katniss fought to widen her eyes against the blaring sunlight to focus on the figure in front of her. "Where am I?"

"After the board meeting, I took you home and you ended up finishing half of my entire wine cabinet and then some." The figure, which turned out to be Gale, helped her sit up as he placed a tray of food on her lap. "Needless to say, you weren't in any shape to make the treacherous journey back to your flat, so you conveniently claimed my bed for yourself, leaving me the honor of sleeping on the couch."

"What time is it?" She asked, completely ignoring Gale's guilt trip.

"Well, it's almost time to meet the music crew to be quite honest." Gale answered, shoving the plate of food toward her, seeing that she hadn't realized it was even there.

Katniss shoved it back, not in the mood for solid food just yet. "Music crew? I thought they were just delegating tasks?"

"Just got the text this morning." Gale replied flatly. "Snow's so excited, he delegated the tasks himself. Says he has a big surprise for us at the studio."

"Crap." Katniss muttered. She had taken a new liking to the word, seeing as she's used it more often in a twenty-four-hour time span than she had in her entire life. It was a mantra now, a summary of what her life was – crap. "The studio."

"What about the studio."

"My car's at the studio." She answered simply, ignoring the giant elephant in the room that was the fact that they'd be starting work on the album today. "It's been there for two nights now."

Gale raised his brow at her.

"It's a long story." She rolled her eyes, hardly in the mood to go into detail.

"Ouch. Wonder if they've towed it yet." Gale dug a spoon into the eggs and shoved it into his mouth. He wasn't going to let a perfectly good plate of eggs go to waste. "You up for some music then?"

Katniss didn't answer. Did she even have a choice? She had spent almost half her life trying to forget. Now she was going to spend the next few months remembering each and every mistake, one song at a time. No, she had no choice.

* * *

"It's pouring." Katniss observed as they made the drive to the studio. "Couldn't he at least wait until the weather got better?" Silently, she hoped that the stormy weather would excuse her from dressing up. She had forced herself into an oversized tee and some old jeans she had left at Gale's long ago, not in any way wanting to look like she was eagerly anticipating what was to transpire this afternoon. She had to give herself at least that. That and she had the propriety not to show up to work in the same clothes she had the day before.

"There's apparently a storm coming in." Gale answered the question that had drifted from its importance as-a-matter-of-factly, eyes trained on the road in front of him, obviously not caring that she looked more like a homeless person than someone who was to produce a hit album. "Snow wanted to at least get a head start before it actually hit. He's so _work -oriented_, isn't he?"

Gale's sarcasm did not go unnoticed by Katniss, who had by now forced herself into an unstable apathy towards it all. "Yeah, if work-oriented was synonymous to _cold, heartless, slave driver._"

Gale laughed, unrestrained. They had always had a go at the dictator that was their CEO at how he was all business and no soul. Only now, they had a tangible representation of his evil and manipulation, and were getting the brunt of the attack. At least now they had an excuse to hold a certain level of resentment to the man and his ways.

"We're almost here." Gale rounded the curb to the studio. "You excited to meet the people you'll be spending the next month or two with?"

"Ecstatic." Katniss rolled her eyes as Gale pulled over to a stop in front of the drop-off. She got off and slammed the door unceremoniously behind her.

"I'll see you inside." Gale did his best to shoot her a comforting smile. "Don't make any enemies while I'm gone."

"Don't worry. I don't plan on making any friends either." Katniss quipped, a forced smile on her face as she hugged herself to keep warm from the cold winds. "Don't take too long."

Gale gave her a play salute before driving off to park, and Katniss slowly made her way inside, nodding at the man behind the desk. She made a familiar turn to the booth she had come to know so well after having supervised Cato on more than one occasion during his recording sessions. Although it was torture having to listen to the out-of-tune screeches Cato had come to know as singing, she was sure that reliving every shred of her father's memory through his songs would be a hundred times worse.

"You're late." Snow's voice held a certain edge to it, making her flinch.

"The rain held us up." She answered blankly, not wanting to have to sustain further conversation with the man she had come to abhor with a passion in a mere day.

"Very well then." He turned to the man who seemed to be asleep behind a set of drums and cleared his throat, a gesture that he supposed would wake the man.

There was no response.

Katniss furrowed her brow at the man, still sound asleep, slowly falling backwards until his head slumped at a near impossible angle. He seemed familiar, but his unruly hair hid any resemblance and Katniss dismissed the thought. The imposing man beside her began to fume as he sauntered his way toward the man and kicked his leg, causing the man to sit up on impulse, overshooting an upright position and sending his head straight for the nearest snare drum. Katniss supposed she would have keeled over laughing had she not been in such a foul mood to begin with, but she allowed herself a small guffaw at the sight, before the sight of the man's pained eyes brought her back.

"Haymitch."

The man, obviously hurt but not at all fazed by the accidental blow he had received, squinted his eyes as he surveyed his surroundings. One would suppose he was used to unpleasant awakenings the way he merely rubbed the bump on his head that would surely grow to a big blue bruise.

"It seems you know him then." Snow smiled, knowing the answer. He enjoyed watching Katniss shift uncomfortably in place. "I'm sure you're quite well acquainted with your _father's_ past band mate."

At the mention of the word 'father', Haymitch cocked his head and managed to focus his eyes long enough to recognize the face in front of him.

"Well what do we have here?" He got up, stumbling on his own steps as he dragged himself toward the pair. "If it isn't little miss Houdini herself. Miss Katniss _Everdeen._" It took him a few seconds to find his center of gravity before bending down so he was at eye level with the girl who shared his grey eyes, taking her hand and placing it against his lips. "What a pleasure to finally meet you after all these years. Tell me exactly-" his drawl bore the unmistakable scent of alcohol, choking her with its fumes. "Where've you been all my life?"

Katniss stepped back, more disgusted than intimidated by the man who stood before her, his dark curly hair and grey eyes bearing a strong resemblance to her own, if not in appearance then in the pain that lay beneath them.

Haymitch took her face into one of his large hands and clenched it quite uncomfortably, examining her face. "What? Nothing to say to your good ole godfather?" He laughed cynically, before turning his attention to Snow. "Didn't know _that_ did 'ya?"

Snow was unimpressed at the revelation, it held no merit to him. Katniss, on the other hand, flinched as Haymitch readied a hand as if to hit her. He stopped midway and smiled wickedly.

"Why would 'ya?" Haymitch withdrew and flung his arms into the air. "It's always been Joseph this and Joseph that. Even when he's _dead_ I'm stuck doing his bidding."

"What's going on here?" Gale entered the room as the tension grew thick. He turned to Katniss and held her hand, finding her cold and shivering.

"Ah, it's about time you got here." Snow was unfazed as he sat down on the listeners' couch and began to address the drunk in the room. "If you please, Mr. Abernathy, I'd prefer it if you kept your angst and self-deprecation to yourself. Now if we could only get that young arranger here, we could finally get started."

As if on cue, a disheveled young man barged in, his damp boots streaking puddles across the floor and squeaking incessantly as he fiddled with the strap of his bag, caught on the door handle from his entry.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I had to pick up my bike from the shop. And the rain-" He paused a moment to gather his bearings before settling for a staring competition with his feet.

"Ah, Mr. Mellark, how wonderful of you to join us." Snow laughed patronizingly as he stood up and walked toward the man, clasping is hands together now that his favored bunch of misfits was complete. "I'd like you to meet your new workmates."

"Peeta Mellark." He introduced himself, somewhat embarrassed at his tardiness. "It's such an honor to be working on such a big project. Joseph Everdeen was one of my biggest idols and I can't wait to get started on his work." He only managed to let out the last few words of his sentences before his blue eyes met a familiar shade of grey. "You."

"Me?" Katniss squirmed under his gaze, taken aback at his recognition of her.

"You're the girl from the parking lot." His brows furrowed, recalling the event.

Katniss tilted her head to the side trying to recall where she had seen this man. Had he witnessed the shame that was that awful accident? She had to shut him up.

"You crashed into me and made me park your car?" He let out, his tone baffled. "You don't even remember?"

The men in the room turned to her, curious and awaiting an explanation as Katniss' eyes widened at the sudden realization. "Oh god, just kill me now."

"It _is_ you!" The blonde man started to laugh, his wide chest bellowing at the action. "I can't _fucking_ believe it. _You're_ working on this too?" He tossed his jacket off to the side before collapsing on the couch at the ridiculousness of it all, suddenly forgetting the formalities.

Gale stood between the dodgy blonde and Katniss, confused, yet furious for no apparent reason. "Katniss, you know this guy?"

Before Katniss had the chance to explain, Peeta sat himself up. "Wait. So _you're_ Katniss Everdeen?" He let out in a more than disrespectful tone than earlier, now refusing to acknowledge her. "_You're_ the daughter of Joseph Everdeen?" He turned to Snow, a dubious look on his face. "You've got to be kidding me."

Snow couldn't help but smile at the young man's blunt attitude, whereas Gale was reeling, fists clenched and ready to take a jab at the smaller built man. Katniss felt insulted, although she herself knew she wasn't much of a daughter either. Haymitch just let out a hoot and sat behind his set of drums before finally passing out.

"I'll let you three get acquainted then." Snow had other things to take care of. "Mr. Hawthorne, you're coming with me."

Gale turned to the CEO, surprised. "Wait, what?"

"I have some things to discuss with you." Snow explained, the tone of his voice implying more to it than was said. "You're coming with me to the office."

"I don't think-" Gale started to reason.

"Exactly." Snow cut him off. "You _don't _think." His tone was decisive. "_I_ think _for you._"

His tone sent shivers down Katniss' spine. What was he going to do with him?

"Now you three, go through Joseph's songs. I need a shortlist of songs to include in the tribute album. I want them ready by the time I get back." His voice was unforgiving and Katniss suddenly felt as if her life was in grave danger. "You'll find the preliminary plans in the files I've set aside for each of you. I trust you'll choose accordingly to suit Cato's image the best."

Gale gave her a look and she understood. '_Trust no one_.'

And then they left.

Katniss' knees buckled as the door shut behind them. She clasped the side of a large piano for support. The world seemed as if it were spinning.

Peeta began digging through the files and reading the summaries of the contracts that bound them to the project. "This is bullshit." He stated simply.

Katniss snapped out of her momentary blackout to examine the blonde man who had now stood up and started pacing around the room, still continuing to rummage through the files. His ashy blonde hair was tussled and damp from the rain, sticking out at odd angles as it framed his face. His countenance betrayed his age in that his eyes and features made him look considerably younger than she assumed he was, that is until she noticed how tall he was compared to her. His shirt clung to his body and she noted that he was well built, albeit not as stocked as Gale was. If she crossed this man, he could easily knock her out. She walked cautiously toward him to peer over at what he was reading.

"Great. First I find out that the daughter of my lifetime idol is a crazy psychopath who can't even park her car and _now_ I discover Snow only plans to pay me half of what this drunken ape gets." For someone with a baby face, he didn't speak with much reserve.

"Then why don't you just quit?" Katniss voiced from behind him, making him jump at her proximity. Apparently he hadn't noticed her sneak up from where she had once been. She was quiet on her feet.

Katniss had meant no harm with her question. She was honestly just curious at what his reaction would be and if there was any truth behind his words of adoration for her father. If she would be forced to remember and face the trying ordeal of dealing with the unpleasant memories attached to each song, she'd rather do it in the presence of people who could at least understand and appreciate her father's work. It would seem less of a defilement of something sacred to her. Additionally, she silently hoped it would change his view of her, shaped by that unfortunate accident that befell them both. Why she hoped that, she had no idea.

Her tone however, suggested otherwise, as Peeta took it as more of a taunt and challenge than anything.

"Oh you'd like that wouldn't you?" He turned away from her as he paced across the room, stepping over the fallen Haymitch and proceeding until he was significantly distanced from her. Something about her presence unnerved him, and she smelled too good for someone dressed so badly. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you're stuck with me. There's no way in hell I'm giving up this chance."

Katniss didn't get the information she wanted. _What chance?_ A chance to make it big? A chance to make some cash? A chance to do her dad justice? She again hoped for the latter.

Katniss backed down and sat herself on the piano chair, laying her hand on the keys playing nonsensical notes. "At least you _want_ to be here."

Peeta turned back to her, his face suddenly softening. "What do you mean?" Her words seemed preposterous to him. "Anyone I know would give an arm and a leg to be here." His voice quivered at the words that suddenly hit too close to home. "I'm _glad_ I'm here." He finished, hoping his resolute answer hid his moment of weakness.

"Well I'm not." She answered, mostly to herself, but he heard.

"Yeah, of course you're not." He leaned against the piano and crossed his arms, regaining his composure and feeling the vibrations of each key she pressed. "It must be _so_ hard for you. Going through your father's songs and getting to claim all the glory for yourself. Tell the world, how great you are and take credit for everything he's strived for in life. Not bothering to even acknowledge his death, hiding yourself for all these years. You must have hated him."

Katniss stopped playing.

"Take that back." She whispered. Outside, the wind blew stronger.

"It's true, isn't it?" He taunted. The rain poured with more intensity.

Katniss kicked back her seat in rage as she stood up, slamming her hands onto the piano, the sound it made echoing her feelings. "Take that back!"

"Isn't that why they call you _The Beast_? Yeah I've heard about you. If it's any consolation, nobody likes you ei-"

Katniss stood in front of him, ready to raise a hand to his face for a slap.

_And then the lights went out_.

Peeta had braced himself for the blow, but it never came. In its place, deafening thunder bellowed, one blow after the other.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness to find Katniss was nowhere in sight. Had she disappeared with the thunder? What was she, some kind of witch?

A small sob, however, alerted him to her still presence, its source betraying her.

One sob, then another followed from under the piano as the thunder continued to roll, with increasing fervor. Peeta peered under the large instrument to find Katniss curled up in a ball, eyes tightly shut, hands over her ears, and tears threatening to fall as she rocked herself back and forth.

"Katniss?" Peeta's voice grew soft as he reached out for her. She recoiled at his touch, violently turning away from him before resuming her self-developed ministrations. "Katniss, it's just thunder."

A large flash of lighting struck, which lit the room momentarily, long enough to allow Peeta to see clearly the fear written in Katniss face to understand that this was more than just a silly fear of thunder. "Katniss come here."

She shook her head violently, shutting her eyes tighter as her rocking intensified. "Katniss, I'm not going to hurt you." Peeta urged, his voice suddenly pleading. He had no idea why her fear affected him so. "I'm sorry. Just _come here_."

The next flash of lightning was bright and blinding, and the ensuing thunder had Katniss throw herself at the man, catching him momentarily off guard.

The warmth of her tears distinguished themselves clearly from the cold dampness of his shirt, and he couldn't help but hold the quivering girl tighter against his frame as he rubbed her back, at a loss as to how to proceed. She seemed so small in his arms at this moment, and he could feel her shivering frame curl tighter against itself as the thunder only seemed to grow louder. He could not believe that the same woman he had heard to be ruthless, manipulative and unforgiving was the same girl he held in his arms. Slowly, he started to question if any of those rumors held any truth in them at all and he berated himself for even believing at all. It took less than a second for the hardened shell of a woman to crumble into nothing. Was that why she had abandoned all traces of her name and the fame that accompanied it? Looking at her now as she balled her fists tighter against her ears, all her actions were more out of self-preservation than anything else. He then noticed how frail she actually was under the baggy t-shirt she wore and suddenly realized how fragile she truly was. And then he understood.

"I guess even The Beast has its weaknesses."

Katniss didn't answer. Instead she buried her face further into the crook of his neck praying for the thunder to stop.

And then she sang.

Her voice was soft and quiet. The thunder continued to roar and barely made it possible to hear, but Peeta heard. And it was the most beautiful thing his ears had perceived.

Between labored breaths and sobs, Katniss continued to sing to herself, hoping to drown out the noise of the relentless storm and Peeta rocked her back and forth, the only thing he could contribute to making her feel better.

After a while the thunder ceased and the lullaby drew to a close. The rain, however, continued to pour, unyielding. Katniss still held herself tight in Peeta's embrace, and he was in no hurry to let go, lest a sudden burst of thunder scare the poor girl to death.

"What was that about?" Peeta whispered softly as the air grew quiet, loosening his grip, but still refusing to let her escape his embrace. A few minutes passed without an answer and Peeta was content to leave it at that. He had no right to dig at her personal issues.

Katniss' breath slowed and her sobs grew sparse. "Explosions." She answered simply.

This was surprising to Peeta. What did explosions have to do with thunder and lightning?

"I don't like loud noises, or lighting or thunder. I don't like-"

"Explosions." Peeta finished for her.

She gently pried herself away from his hold as she adjusted herself, turning away in embarrassment. She was so weak, and Peeta had been more than accommodating, indulging her childish phobias. He wasn't so bad, she decided. He did have the decency to set aside the apparent dislike he had for her to at least not make her feel like a weak fool. Secretly, she thanked him for the support, although she tried to convince herself that she'd have handled it fine on her own.

In the darkness, there was no judgment. No preconceived thoughts, or rumors to set them against each other. And in the darkness, Peeta felt a connection to this girl he barely knew. Maybe she wasn't such a beast after all.

Even apart, he could still feel the heat emanating from where she sat, just inches from him, too afraid to move from her spot. She left a tingling sensation where her face buried itself against the crook of her neck, and Peeta suddenly felt a surge of emptiness as the sudden lack of warmth.

"The song-" Peeta began, in an effort to distract himself from these confusing emotions.

"It was my father's." Katniss answered too quickly, eager to ease the tension that seemed to be building.

"How come I've never heard it before?" He asked further. It was true, he hadn't.

Katniss paused before she answered. Was she ready to bare her life to this man? In her head, she remembered Gale's warning look. _Trust no one._ She looked at the man who sat against the leg of the large piano, his eyes focused at a distance, a grave look on his face. She had the sudden urge to unfurrow the creases between his brows but she resisted. "He sang it to me and my sister when we were younger." She halted briefly before she continued. "And unfortunately, I doubt his label thought a lullaby would bide well amongst some of his greater hits."

Peeta dwelled on her answer. For someone whom Snow made out to be spiteful of her father, she spoke of him with such a tender quality to her voice, and as he snuck a glance at her from the side, he witnessed a lone tear run down her face. She was sincere.

"I didn't hate him." She said finally, unnerved by his silence. "No, that isn't right. I _don't_ hate him." She corrected herself, for once more sure of the statement than ever.

Peeta finally turned to her fully, to find his eyes meet hers in the darkness. Was it possible for her grey eyes glowed with the intensity that they did at that moment? Beyond his control, he found his hand reaching out for hers. "I'm sorry about what I said."

"You didn't mean it." Katniss replied. It was a lie. At that time, she was sure he did. "But it's fine. I didn't expect you to like me anyway-" before she could finish her sentence, a warm touch on her hand caused her to jump, making her hit her head against the bottom of the piano.

She stood up immediately, recoiling from the touch and rubbing her head furiously at the spot she had bruised. "Ow."

It was then that the lights decided come back on, revealing a large Peeta, still crouched down under the Piano and a flushed Katniss squirming at the thought of what had just happened.

Peeta immediately stood up as the sound of the power returning throughout the studio rung through the hallways, clearing his throat to alleviate the awkward atmosphere. _What had gotten in to him?_ He thought to himself as he looked at his own traitorous hand, the spot where he had made contact with hers still burning with quite an intensity.

"I guess we should get started then." Katniss provided, looking around to see Haymitch still splayed out on the floor and various documents now scattered and messy from the earlier altercation. She had regained her stern tone, determined to complete the project with a professional mindset. She was already at a loss as to how to deal with this man. He wasn't like the others she could so easily boss around, or like Cato who she had wrapped around her finger with a single purr of her voice. She frowned, realizing that although she could manipulate this man just as she had any other, she didn't have the heart to. At least not anymore. She shot a glance at him, seeing how he would react.

"Uh sure." He shrugged complying. "Think we need to wake the drunk?"

They looked at each other for a moment before both doubling over in laughter.

"Nah."

* * *

**Notes:**

Is it wrong to say I enjoyed writing Snow's maniacal dialogue at the boardroom? For some reason it felt so empowering to write. Ahaha I'm an evil dictator in the making. Needless to say, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm not even sure if stuff like this happens in those big entertainment companies. I'm winging it, really. I hope you guys don't mind. But anyway, yay! Katniss and Peeta interaction. Finally! Congrats to **GIFtoJPG** who guessed right that the guy in the motorcycle was in fact Peeta, and to **Marj** who got to see an extended preview of this chapter.

**Reader Pop Quiz, reply in the review section to get an extended sneak peek of the next chapter: **

**How many years apart are Prim and Katniss in this story?**

**Next Chapter Preview:**

_**Chapter 3: Familia**_

_The rain continued to pour as the two got to work going through songs, classifying them and filtering them for content. Peeta was comfortable to work with, Katniss decided, and she found herself letting more of her guard down as the work progressed._

_It was difficult seeing the title and lyrics of each song and then suddenly recalling the inspiration behind them. She had thought about her dad more in these few hours than in all the days she had gone to his grave to commemorate his death. She hated to admit it, but she was lying to herself all those years, telling herself that she allowed herself to feel for at least one day a year when in reality she would make her way there with Prim still fighting back the memories that flooded her at the mere sight of his grave. She didn't honor him in the way he deserved._

"_Hey, look at this." Peeta said from behind her, snapping her out of her daze. He was now rummaging through CDs and their packaging, nitpicking through album art, credits and acknowledgements. He held up an album cover and she walked over to him to take a closer look before stopping when realized what he held in his hand. "This you?" he asked._

_Katniss nodded. In his hand was the cover of one of her father's earlier albums, Panem and Familia, an album dedicated to their family which made account of the hardships of living with a dream as elusive as making it in the music industry with the support of his family. She scanned the picture wistfully. There she was at seven, each of her hands clasped firmly on her father's and her mother's clothes, a blissful smile on her face. Her mother smiled with the awareness that her blank gaze couldn't afford her these days, her belly plump with the growing baby inside her. Prim. At first her eyes refused to meet those of her father's in the picture, but when they did, they were met with the warmest and truest of smiles._

'_He looked so happy'. She thought and instead of shedding tears as she had thought she would, she found herself smiling back, a sudden warmth enveloping her inside._

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	3. Familia

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 7,884 words

Warnings: Swearing, OOC Cato and Badass Peeta

* * *

First off I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed last chapter and added this story to their alerts and favorites list. It really means a lot to me. A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally, **Mockingjay**, **This Needs a Happy Ending**, **Anonymous**, **Peetapeetapeeta**, **KinnaFatniss**, **Cupcake**, **Skies The Limit**, **Cannoli**, and **GIFtoJPG**.

Congratulations also to those who answered the **Reader Pop Quiz** correctly in their reviews and got a chance to see an extended preview of this chapter, **TheBlackMagicRose**, **underscore is back**, and **KillerTimes**. Scroll down to see the rest of the chapter you haven't already read.

To those concerned that this is the last chapter, don't fret. I've decided to write at a pace I'm comfortable with and enough chapters to provide for sufficient character development. And for those who were expecting Johanna, Finnick, and Madge in this chapter, I'm sorry, but I couldn't fit them in, and it wasn't the right time. Rest assured that I'll try to get them into the story soon though, because I've already planned out what to do with them.

For all you Peeta, Haymitch and Cato lovers, however, this chapter's for you.

Enjoy the read!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Familia**

The rain continued to pour as the two got to work going through songs, classifying them and filtering them for content. Peeta was comfortable to work with, Katniss decided, and she found herself letting more of her guard down as the work progressed.

It was difficult seeing the title and lyrics of each song and then suddenly recalling the inspiration behind them. She had thought about her dad more in these few hours than in all the days she had gone to his grave to commemorate his death. She hated to admit it, but she was lying to herself all those years, telling herself that she allowed herself to feel for at least one day a year when in reality she would make her way there with Prim still fighting back the memories that flooded her at the mere sight of his grave. She didn't honor him in the way he deserved.

"Hey, look at this." Peeta said from behind her, snapping her out of her daze. He was now rummaging through CDs, tapes, records and their packaging, nitpicking through album art, credits and acknowledgements. He held up an album cover and she walked over to him to take a closer look before stopping when she realized what he held in his hand. "This you?" he asked.

Katniss nodded. In his hand was the cover of one of her father's earlier albums, _Panem et Familia_, an album dedicated to their family which made account of the hardships of living with a dream as elusive as making it in the music industry with the support of his family. She scanned the picture wistfully. There she was at seven, each of her hands clasped firmly on her father's and her mother's clothes, a blissful smile on her face. Her mother smiled with the awareness that her blank gaze couldn't afford her these days, her belly plump with the growing baby inside her. _Prim_. At first her eyes refused to meet those of her father's in the picture, but when they did, they were met with the warmest and truest of smiles.

'_He looked so happy'_. She thought and instead of shedding tears as she had thought she would, she found herself smiling back, a sudden warmth enveloping her inside.

"You looked pretty cute back then." He laughed as he set the cover aside and resumed his rummaging. "Wonder what happened."

"I resent that." Katniss replied, sticking her tongue out at him, staying by his side as she watched him flip through an album of her father's single covers.

"Oh please, you resent everything." Peeta returned, his eyes rolling. Far from being antagonizing, there was playful laughter in his voice and Katniss returned his smile with a small smile of her own. She liked the sight of his smile, she decided, and the stark contrast between his earlier hateful looks at her and his now carefree smile was what tipped the scales. He did look quite young compared to most that held the same job in the company and she began to wonder what secrets and prowess he held beneath the façade of youth.

"What are you, like twelve?" She asked, trying to dig for the answer to her internal questions. To her defense, he sure was acting like he was.

"Twenty-seven actually." He seemed to smile to himself proudly. "Though most people say I could pass for a high school senior." He winked at her with a flirty look on his face.

Katniss let out a snicker at his smug remark. "I'm sorry, but I don't do pedophilia."

"Ouch." Peeta pretended to take an arrow to his heart, bending back at its fake impact as it hit the bull's-eye. "Guess I had that coming. But what are _you?_ Like forty?" He nudged her playfully. "Lighten up a little."

She nudged him back before answering. "Oh believe me, this is me _lightening up._" She was speaking truthfully. She wouldn't be caught dead smiling or laughing so lightheartedly in front of her superiors, or her clients for that matter. It was rare to even find herself this relaxed with Prim, always wary of the landmines that were present when it came to their sibling relationship. "If you knew about the kind of people I've had to deal with." She shook her head, repressing a shudder, but still managing to let it escape her frame.

Peeta raised his brow and shot her a look that said '_I don't even want to know_' before turning back to the compilation of covers.

"Hey." They both let out at the same time, reaching out for a particular cover that caught their eye. For the second time in a few hours, their hands touched and they both withdrew at the contact. Peeta's hand flew to the back of his head, suddenly feeling an urge to scratch a particular itch that wasn't there before. Katniss wrung her fingers around each other, feeling her hands. They were cold and clammy. Suddenly it felt too cold in the room.

She drew her attention back to the cover that had caught her eye and looked twice to make sure Peeta's hand was nowhere near hers as she reached for it.

"This was my favorite." She explained her earlier enthusiasm carefully as she fingered the edges of the laminated paper. On it was a black and white picture of a boy and a well, not necessarily a picture that most would consider cheerful and inspiring. In fact, it was more shocking than anything else. The boy was severely malnourished, his large, oversized and tattered clothes a testimony of the neglect, and the land around him arid and barren. He was bent over the well, as if searching its depth for something. She had remembered her father mentioning that it was taken in Africa, in a village where dying of hunger and lack of water was a common thing, and she remembered not believing him at her age, having been well-cared for with not a single want in her childhood. Only later in life did she realize the gravity of what was portrayed in this cover.

"Believe it or not, this was the first CD I ever bought with my own money." Peeta added as she passed the single to him. "I remember studying about poverty in school when I was twelve, and then hearing later on that this famous band was raising money for charity to end world hunger." Thinking about it now, he made the purchase on a whim more than anything. "The next thing I knew, I was lining up with this CD in hand with seven months worth of my savings without a second thought." He paused. "I didn't even care about music then, much less about your father."

Katniss had new-found respect for the man beside her as his eyes clouded over in nostalgia.

"Little did I know Joseph Everdeen's music would change my life forever." He laughed a little to cover up the fact that he was getting quite emotional, his eyes actually watering a little. "When I heard the song it was just so _real_, you know?" He paused before running a hand through his hair. He must've sounded like such a wimp, but it was true. There were no words for how he felt when he actually listened to the CD for the first time. "It was like, no matter how bad this shitty world is-"

"There's always hope." Katniss smiled warmly as she completed his sentence, turning the picture in his hand over to reveal behind it a picture of her father's band with the child, wide grins on their faces and large glasses of the clearest and coldest-looking water she had ever seen in each of their hands.

"Yeah." Peeta looked at her and smiled widely, glad to see that she didn't think he was weird for having such an emotional connection to a CD of all things. "And that's when I decided I'd dedicate my life to either music, or a long journey to Africa."

Katniss laughed. "Africa would have been much more scenic."

"Yeah, but my mom would _kill_ me." He defended, actually quite disappointed in the turn of events himself. "So I had to settle for music school and a graduate diploma in composition." He pouted cutely as he turned to her.

"Impressive." Katniss had to admit, he sounded like he knew his stuff. "Well I guess we know the first song we'll be including in the remake album then."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Peeta smiled at the girl beside him as she began humming to herself, obviously pleased that they were making headway on the project.

He was starting to see her in a different light. Maybe there was more of her father in her than he had originally thought, not that he had known the man personally. He examined her more closely as she re-arranged the pile of covers that he had inadvertently messed up while he was rummaging. He couldn't say much for how she was dressed, her baggy shirt did nothing for her small stature and he wondered if it was even hers. Choosing to ignore her obvious lack of fashion sense, he scanned her features. Her long waist-length hair was done in a simple braid, the brown locks almost sparkling in the dim light of the room. '_How was that even possible?' _, he thought as he followed the loose strands of hair that framed her face.

_Her face_. He noted that her face was neither too round or too angular. The gentle curves of her jaw matched that of her father's and the freckles that lined her uncovered skin seemed perfectly placed. A small dimple appeared at the tiniest smile that she bore and he silently wished she would smile more. Following his gaze, his eyes landed on the thick brown lashes that framed her large doe eyes, her irises a cold steel grey that seemed to be missing something. '_F_ire_'_ he decided. They were missing fire. Now he wondered where that fire had gone. Before he had any more room to let his thoughts wander, Katniss snapped him out of his reverie.

"Thanks for sharing that with me by the way." She gave him a truly grateful smile as she spoke. "It was really touching."

Peeta felt heat creep up his cheeks and he realized he was blushing. Rather than turn away from embarrassment however, he found himself trapped in her eyes. There was a small flicker of light in them, miniscule, but it was there. The fire hadn't been totally lost after all.

They stood there for awhile, just staring at each other before a loud snore from Haymitch broke them out of the spell.

"You'd think he'd have the decency to come to work sober." She shook her head in dismay, seemingly unfazed by the awkward moment they had shared before stepping over Haymitch's sleeping form and returning to sorting out songs and lyrics. "I have no idea what dad saw in him."

"Isn't he your uncle or something?" Peeta crouched over beside the man, prodding him with a finger, slightly amused at his resistance to being awoken. "I mean, what with the eyes and hair and all"

"Not really." Katniss scoffed at Peeta's suggestion. "He's my godfather, but barely even that."

"I'm sure he wasn't always so – _troubled._" Peeta turned to the poor man whose drool had now formed a small puddle where his cheek met the cold floor. After having misjudged Katniss a first time, he was determined not to jump into conclusions with anybody, not even the drunk that lay in front of him, unconscious.

"Doesn't matter. He still doesn't like me all that much." Katniss scrunched her nose up at the thought. "Although I'm pretty sure there was a time he tolerated my presence. I was probably too young to remember."

"You must mean something to him though, or at least your father did." Peeta retorted. Inside he came to regret that he was so quick to defend this man whereas he hadn't spared a second thought when it came to judging Katniss. He would make it a point to make it up to her in the long run. "I mean, he came back to work on this album. That's saying something right?"

"Peeta" She began, "I've said this before, but not everybody here came to work on the project because they _wanted_ to." Katniss didn't look at him as she said this. She was a prime example of what it was like to be forced to do something and not be able to fight back. She wasn't sure if Haymitch was forced into this like she was, but there was always the possibility.

"But how could you _not_ want to?" Peeta just could not fathom how working on this project could be a bad thing. "You're his _daughter_, for Christ's sake."

Katniss didn't answer and instead pursed her lips into a thin line as she stopped humming, her earlier pleasant mood ruined at the turn of the conversation.

Peeta stood up, his arms hanging dejectedly from his frame as his hands dug into his pockets. "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Katniss huffed, slamming the pile of papers she had in her hands on the table and turning her back to him as she rubbed her face furiously, trying to get the thoughts and memories out of her head as they began to resurface, overwhelming her. She had no intention of breaking down for a second time in front of this man she barely even knew. Had he expected her to spill all her deepest and darkest secrets just because he babied her for a few minutes in one of her weakest moments? She wouldn't allow it. No matter how much she let her guard down around him, there were things that were just not meant to be shared. He already knew one of her prime weaknesses and she wasn't willing to share anymore.

"Fine." He bit back, equally frustrated. Just when he thought he could have some semblance of a civil relationship with this stubborn girl she went ahead and shut him out again. Apparently the little piece of his personal endeavors he shared with her didn't mean shit. The sight of the sleeping man in front of him suddenly made him irritated beyond belief and he suddenly regretted even coming to his defense. He snuck a glance at Katniss to see that she was turning to exit the room. He was about to run after her until the door opened abruptly.

"Oh Katniss! You're safe!" A tall, strawberry-blonde man ran up to her and captured her in his embrace, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around dramatically, seemingly unaware of the instruments that surrounded him, not to mention the drunk laying on the ground that he was so precariously about to step on.

Katniss let out a strangled breath as she struggled to push him off her, her feet dangling and searching for safe ground. "Cato, it's fine. I'm okay. Put me down please." She let out, desperately uncomfortable at the huge scene he was making.

He did as he was told, settling her down so her feet now stood somewhat unsteadily on the ground beneath her. Katniss fought to gather her bearings as the world still spun madly around her. The man in front of her was giddy with relief and excitement, his two heavy hands on her shoulders, grasping her so tightly just to make sure she was real, only before finally pulling her in for a demanding kiss.

It was at this point that Peeta cleared his throat and alerted the couple to his presence. He shifted uncomfortably as he watched as the bulk of a man fondling Katniss stuck a finger up at him, shushing him as he tried to sneak in a few more seconds of kissing. Peeta cleared his throat again, louder this time.

Cato released the still dizzy girl from his clutches and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. The tickling sensation it brought her jolted her out of her dizziness enough to finally scold the spontaneous man.

"Cato, what the _hell_ are you doing here?" She asked finally, eyes wide, awaiting an explanation.

"I was so worried. After yesterday and dad just suddenly had to bring all the shit about your father up, he wouldn't let me see you! I was so mad, I couldn't even sleep, Katniss! And you know how my skin gets when I don't get my beauty sleep." His words blended together as he spat them out furiously fast making it difficult for her to understand him. "But you're here, and you're safe and dad's still at home, so I snuck out to see you. I miss you so much." He enveloped her in yet another hearty embrace.

Peeta examined the couple before him, squinting his eyes and tilting his head, seeing if a change in perspective would make the scene look any less _wrong_. It didn't.

For one, the man who now held Katniss in what looked to be a death grip was at least two heads taller than she, towering over her and making her look like a ragdoll in comparison to his large form. He looked much too daft to share any common interests with the girl, but he wasn't one to judge, he had after all only met her today but he had a feeling his hunch was right. Furthermore, Katniss looked as if she would rather be in any place but his arms at the moment and her struggle to push him away was evidence enough of that. But for some reason, it still bothered him.

Finally able to pry herself from Cato's grip a second time, Katniss sat him down on the nearest chair to calm him before interrogating him incessantly. "Cato, focus."

Cato stared intently at her, his smile disappearing as he put on a more serious face in response to the familiar tone as if he had been specifically trained to respond to Katniss' voice. Right now, her tone screamed 'No bullshit.'

"You said that Snow was still at home." Katniss asked, more of confirmation than a statement. Cato nodded. "Was he with anybody?

"Just Gale." Cato spat out, mock-gagging like he had something disgusting in his mouth, his dislike for the producer very much apparent. "They were going on about publicity or something." Cato couldn't be bothered to listen any further, the topic of Katniss' supposed husband leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

Katniss breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Snow was nowhere near the studio. She glanced at the lone CD at the table, so far the only song they had managed to pick out for the album, and she knew they were running late on their assignment. She did not want to catch Snow in a bad mood, as he probably would be in if he was dealing with Gale at this moment, and have him mad at her for not even being able to complete a single task. She shook the thought out of her head and resumed her interrogation.

"And what exactly are _you_ doing here? Don't you know Snow would kill us _both_ if he caught us together? What the hell were you _thinking_?" Katniss let out exasperated at the man's childish actions.

Watching Katniss act like this around a different person was like seeing a plush toy suddenly getting up, coming to life and drop-kicking a child in a face. Suddenly, Peeta understood where she had gotten the nickname, _'The Beast_'.

"Oh Katniss, I _told_ you." He explained simply, as if it was the answer to all the greatest questions in the world, "I missed you." He wore a disgustingly sweet puppy-dog smile on his face. "And I was worried my dad would have you exiled or something. I didn't think you'd actually say yes to the project, and when I thought you'd declined, I figured my father'd have you deported like _that_." Cato tried to snap, solidifying his point, but failed miserably. He furrowed his brows at his two fingers and tried again, and again, to no avail. Cato had the attention span of a jar of a pickles.

Katniss shook her head, yet again, but couldn't help but laugh at his certain disregard for common sense. "You could have _called_ me, you know?" There was a certain familiarity in the words that she exchanged with Cato that bothered Peeta. How close were they exactly?

"I'm sorry." Cato looked down at his hands as he played with his fingers like a child.

"Well I'm here, and I'm safe. Really busy, but I'm safe." Katniss assured him before pulling him up from his seat and taking his hands in hers. "So you better leave before one of your dad's cronies rats on us."

Cato bit his lip as he smiled, happy his father hadn't done anything too drastic. "I can't wait for the new album." He raved. "With my voice and your – " Cato thought for a minute, not really knowing what Katniss would be contributing to his next hit. Katniss nodded slowly for him to continue. "–_skills_?" Cato shrugged and continued, "We'll be unstoppable!"

Katniss laughed it off. "Well, we could be. If you let me work." She had to phrase her words correctly, lest she be stuck with him the entire day. "But I can't if you're here distracting me. I still have more songs to pick out and I have to make sure they're within your vocal range and that they mesh well with-"

"Just pick anything." Cato replied dismissively. "You know I can sing _anything_. I'm sure I can work it out. Heck, with me singing, there's no doubt it'll be better than the original!"

Peeta let out a loud snort at the blonde buffoon's words. This guy _obviously_ had no idea what he was talking about. Better than the original? Heck, they'd be lucky to even match up to the original, let alone best it. And even if they did, it wouldn't be because of this idiot's voice, it'd be because of the musical arrangement, composition and production. Peeta nodded to himself proudly amidst his internal dialogue.

Cato glared at him from behind Katniss, who had now turned to the source of the condescending noise.

"Who's the pig?" Cato asked, crossing his arms in a fit and raising his brow, sizing up the other conscious man in the room. "Another one of your charity cases?"

It was Peeta's turn to raise a brow at him. "I _happen _ to be-"

"Cato, this is Peeta." Katniss interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "He's going to be arranging the songs we pick to suit you. He was _handpicked_ by your father." She stressed.

Cato turned to her, and then to Peeta, and then back at her. He knew what she meant when she said that he was handpicked by his father. It meant that he was untouchable, so to speak. Any actions against him would be taken as a personal jab at his father. He gritted his teeth and kicked his foot at the air before begrudgingly walking over to the shorter man, offering his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Cato offered, scratching the back of his head with his other hand, obviously not fond of having to be courteous for the first time in a long while.

Peeta took his hand and shook it reluctantly. "You too. Thanks for having me."

Cato let go of his hand immediately and turned back to Katniss. "Well, I guess I should go now." He was a little hurt that Katniss was so quick to push him away after he had just braved a storm for her, but he really didn't mind all too much as long as she was safe. He took her in for one last long embrace before addressing Peeta. "And you." He pointed. "Try anything funny and-" He punched a fist into his open palm for emphasis. "I got my eye on you."

Peeta had to repress his laughter as he watched Cato walk out the door, and as soon as he was in the clear, he let out a loud bellowing laugh at how ridiculous it all was. And they called _him_ immature.

Katniss rolled her eyes and got back to work rubbing the bridge of her nose as she felt a headache coming on.

Once Peeta had recovered from his laughter he plopped down onto the listeners' couch and laid an arm on his stomach, his abdominal muscles hurting from the strain of laughter. "So is he your boyfriend?" he asked, half serious and half still trying to contain giggles from the funny image Cato painted in his head.

"It's complicated." Katniss answered, trying to avoid the question.

"Figures. He seemed more like a pet than boyfriend material." He stretched his arm out over the cushion of the sofa and crossed his legs before continuing. "And the guy from earlier? Gale was it? Your brother? Lover? Second-cousin-twice-removed?" He didn't even know why he was asking. It was probably the disbelief at the number of men involved in her life.

"It's complicated." She answered yet again, starting to get annoyed at Peeta's constant badgering. "But he's my best friend."

"Honestly, I don't see the appeal." Peeta blew a stray strand of hair that had been impeding his vision from off his face. "But hey, to each his own."

"Are we done with the questions now?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips, obviously tired of the topic of conversation. "Because I don't know about you, but it looks to me like we still have a truckload of work to do and Haymitch sure as hell isn't helping."

Peeta sat up and clasped his hands together. "Yes Ma'am." She used a different tone with him now, he observed. Cato's sudden appearance had her guarded and unreadable yet again, four walls up with no hopes of penetrating them any time soon. He conceded. It was no use trying to befriend her with her still so strung up, and the least he could do was do his job. "Maybe we should build everything around what we already have." He suggested. "We could do a greatest hits compilation, but also include some of his more groundbreaking and inspiring work. You know, the gritty stuff."

Katniss nodded, face serious as she started pulling out the relevant albums that she had sorted out. "Now _that's_ something I can work with."

It was a start.

* * *

By ten, they were fixing up the final touches to the song list they had agreed upon. They had decided to prop Haymitch up on the couch to make him look more presentable and less _drunk_, but he still slumped over the head of the sofa, mouth open, letting out less than flattering gargles of breath in between routine normal-sounding snores.

They were in the middle of a heated argument, trying to decide how to order the songs for production when Snow came through the door, arms open, Gale trailing behind him like a lost puppy.

Peeta walked over to Haymitch in a panic, kicking him discreetly in an effort to wake him.

"Ah, looks like you two are getting along just fine and dandy without us." He took his place beside Katniss, securing his arm around her shoulder. "Mister Hawthorne was under the impression that you two would bludgeon each other to death before we got back. Glad to see you're both still alive and kicking." He laughed. "I half thought we'd be coming back to three limp corpses, two dead and one drunk."

Peeta and Katniss just exchanged awkward glances before forcing out polite laughter at the man's morbid humor. There was something seriously wrong with this man.

"And Haymitch?" He asked, eyeing the limp man sprawled over the couch. With a particularly solid kick delivered by Peeta, Haymitch jolted from his slumber, standing up, eyes suddenly alert as he did a double take surveying the room. A slight jab of pain suddenly made him aware of the spot where Peeta had kicked him, and he began to rub it furiously. That kid had one heck of a boot.

"We just got done with the song list actually." Peeta explained, discreetly slipping a copy of the progress into Haymitch's hand while Katniss distracted Snow with a copy of her own.

Haymitch squinted at the piece of paper in front of him, his eyes still adjusting to the lights in the room. When his eyes finally registered the list in front of him, he let out a small laugh and a smirk. "Well I'll be damned." He gave Peeta a congratulatory slap on the back. "Kid's got some taste."

Snow on the other hand wore a displeased frown as he scrutinized the list and details. Gale wore a worried look on his face, knowing the man was not entirely pleased. He walked over between Katniss and Snow to sneak a look in for himself.

"We thought we'd include some of the band's best-selling songs, you know, the ones that the public were familiar with." Katniss began to explain, unsure of the reaction she'd receive. "But then we thought that would be too cliché."

"So we mixed in some of their earlier work, for more exposure." Peeta continued. It was genius actually, and of all the things that had happened today, he was happy that Katniss and he agreed, at least in this respect. "We thought it would give the album a whole new perspective. Deepen the roots and broaden its scope."

Haymitch just snorted at his lengthy explanation. "Fuckin' hipsters." But he was happy with their song choice. These were the songs that had started it all, the songs that had drawn Joseph and he together, and the songs that mattered.

"Oh this won't do at all." Snow clicked his tongue disapprovingly. Three pairs of eyes shot incredulous looks at him as he furrowed his brow at the list he held in his hands.

"Excuse me?" Katniss asked, not sure if he actually heard the words escape his mouth correctly.

"What do you mean?" Peeta walked over to the CEO, taking the paper he held in his own hand. Had they given him the wrong list? He scanned the songs, their lyrics and production details. No, this was the list. It was perfect.

"I _told_ you to pick songs that suited Cato." He stated simply, reclaiming the paper and holding it up to their faces.

"But these songs are _perfect_ for his voice." Katniss reasoned. "They're all within his range, and with a little autotune-"

"But they're all too _depressing _and _controversial_." He pronounced the words in disgust. "They don't suit his image at all." He took a seat, beckoning for Gale to join him. "And besides, a lot of these songs are from their _charity_ albums."

"And so?" Peeta frowned.

"It _means-"_ Snow let out slowly, as if he were talking to a toddler. "-we'd have to give part of the proceeds to charity." Snow gritted his teeth, obviously turned off by the idea. "And I have no intentions of doing that." He eyed Gale expectantly. "I'm sure Mister Hawthorne agrees with me."

Gale just furrowed his brow in thought.

Haymitch just laughed as he tossed his paper aside, not really knowing what to make of what just happened. "Well, the big man's spoken." He said sarcastically as he threw his hands up in the air in mock jubilation. "Let's just remake our last album." He turned to Katniss, a crazed look on his face. "You know the one. The album we wrote in our drunken stupor, right before you followed suit." He laughed maniacally. "Trippy shit, those songs."

Katniss had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from blowing up right then and there. She breathed in heavily. '_Why did he even have them pick songs out then if he was just going to shoot them down without a second thought?'_ She looked at Gale, waiting for him to come to their aid, but he never did.

"Unbelievable." Peeta let out, obviously exasperated. "So what? We have to _work_ our way around that talentless baboon's _image_ and your aversion for humanity?"

Katniss almost gasped at Peeta's choice of words. She knew he was blunt, but his words were a personal death wish.

"Careful, Mister Mellark." Snow let out through gritted teeth, obviously displeased and borderline seething. "That talentless baboon just happens to be my _son._"

Before Peeta could retort and seal his death wish, Katniss interrupted. "So what do you expect us to do?" Her breathing was heavy and her head was spinning. It was taking her all in her power to calm herself down.

"Start over of course." Snow answered simply. "Pick some happy songs about your father's escapades and touring days. The ones that would make young people want to get up and dance. Something we can make into a large-scale music video." He smiled at the prospect.

"So you're asking us to sacrifice what the entire band stood for," Katniss breathed in measures, "for songs people can _dance_ to?"

Haymitch cradled his chin in his hands, his face suddenly serious as she observed the girl in front of him.

This was what Katniss had been dreading. She was hoping to finish this project with the legacy her father left strengthened and treated the way he deserved, or intact at the very least. What Snow was asking her to do was the complete opposite of what she had hoped. She was a bad daughter as it was, and although she could pay no price to take back what she had done in the past, she was hoping that this album's success would exonerate her. It wouldn't. Not like this.

"Katniss?" She had stood there for longer than she had thought, blank stares and deep breaths. Peeta was starting to get worried.

"I need time to think." She said, not giving the men time to react before she flew out the door.

"Katniss, wait!" Gale turned to chase her before he was held back by the surprisingly firm hands of Snow.

"Leave it." Snow commanded him, annoyed at the turn of events. Apparently, his earlier threat wasn't ingrained deep enough in the dim girl's head. "She knows what'll happen if she doesn't come back."

Peeta turned to him, hearing what he had just said. "What happens if she doesn't?" He asked, his voice threatening. "Are you _blackmailing_ her?" He found it too hard to believe.

Snow hesitated to answer, confirming his suspicions. "She needed a little convincing."

"And you're not doing anything about it." He turned to Gale, his tone accusing. "You're supposed to be her best friend and you're just gonna let him walk all over her like that."

"Shut it Mellark, you don't know a thing." Gale let out, his jaw clenching as he spoke. Haymitch remained unmoved.

"You should be happy I'm still keeping you Mister Mellark." Snow added, "What with that obvious lack of tact you so keenly seem to want to advertise."

"Well what makes you think I _want_ to be _kept_?" He asked, challenging. By now he was obviously angry that he was being manipulated. "You're just _using_ us."

"Not everybody's as smart and level-headed as you are, Mister Mellark." Snow said, his voice calm despite the obvious fury in his eyes. "Don't make a stupid mistake over childhood ideals that hold no merit in the real world."

Peeta scoffed. "Level-headed my ass." He grabbed his jacket and turned to follow Katniss. "I'm out of here."

He was halfway out the door when Snow called out. "You'll be back, Mr. Mellark." His voice lost its serenity and bore a threatening air.

As he left the studio, he gave the CEO the finger. It was a childish gesture, but it pretty much summed up his thoughts on the matter.

Snow spat profanities into the air and Gale didn't know what to do. Haymitch, on the other hand started laughing like a mad man.

"Kid's got guts." He stated simply in between bemused laughter before finally turning to the seething old man in front of him. "Sorry big man, but I'm with blondie." He gave him a playful pat on the back, digging in his pocket for a silver flask of who-knew-what. "No way in hell am I hoppin' on a bandwagon doomed to fail."

"Mister Abernathy." Snow began, the veins on his neck jutting out prominently in his anger.

"Save it, big man." Haymitch waved a hand dismissively. "You ain't got nothin' on me." He gave him a knowing smirk. "In fact. I got more on you than you'll _ever_ know." He taunted the man, swinging his flask in front of the man's face. "Those kids know their shit. And they've called yours."

He gave the man's beard a quick tug before sauntering out of the room, leaving him to his own devices.

"Mister Hawthorne, call the press." Snow stated simply, things obviously not going as he had planned.

"You're not going to-" Gale's face was filled with worry. "She'll be back. She just needs time to think."

"Her time was up ages ago, Mister Hawthorne." Snow told him, his patience running thin. "She needs to know that I am perfectly capable of holding my end of the bargain."

As Haymitch walked out of the studio, being greeted by gusts of wind and heavy rain, he looked up at the sky and smiled. "Not today, my friend. But soon."

* * *

Katniss ran out of the room like it was on fire, and it was a known fact that she despised fire. She found herself at the lobby, looking desperately for a place think. It was too bright, and everything seemed to overwhelm her at this moment. She turned to the man behind the counter.

"Keys." She demanded, her hand out expectantly.

The man looked at her, not knowing what she was talking about. If she were her old self, she'd have had this man fired.

"MY KEYS." She demanded yet again, her voice loud and panicked. She turned around to make sure nobody had run out after her. The hallways were empty. "Some guy left them here two days ago, I _need_ them back."

The man searched frantically for her keys, frightened at the sharp tone she used. It took him what seemed to be ages before finally finding them in a drawer and handing them to her without hesitation.

"Thank you." She hissed before turning around to make an exit, ignoring the wind and rain that greeted her out in the open.

She crossed her arms as the cold hit her small frame and she fuddled with her keys before finally getting her car open and letting herself in. She shut the door with a slam and locked herself in before curling herself up into a little ball, closing her eyes tightly and crossing her arms over her head, shutting the world out. It was hard to distinguish where the rain that soaked her hair ended and where the tears that were streaming down her eyes began.

* * *

Peeta ran out after Katniss, but by the time he had reached the lobby, she was nowhere to be found. He turned to look at the attendant behind the counter who was now wide eyed and flustered as he began to approach him.

"She ran out!" The poor man held out both his hands and turned away from the man, squinting his eyes and bracing himself for a possible verbal attack not unlike the one he had received earlier. "Please don't yell at me!"

Peeta just smiled and uttered a word of thanks before running out of the studio into the parking lot. It was the second time today he'd be drenched by rainwater, but right now, it didn't seem to matter. He scanned the parking lot for any signs of Katniss, to no avail. He screamed out her name as he searched the cars that lined the lot, desperately trying to remember what her car looked like or where he had parked it.

By the time he had spotted the familiar curled up ball at the driver seat of a black BMW, he was soaking wet and cold beyond belief.

"Katniss!" He screamed, knocking furiously at her window. She was unmoving, and he wasn't even sure if she heard him. "Katniss, open the door, damnit!"

Katniss finally lifted her head, her eyes red from crying, and it broke Peeta's heart to see her like that. He had inadvertently seen this girl at her weakest moments twice in a single day and he silently wondered if he was doomed to see her like that every time they met.

"Katniss, let me in." He continued to bang on the window in desperation. Her grey eyes met his blue ones through the foggy window of the car and he felt a sudden surge of déjà vu. It crept up his spine slowly. Why did this seem so familiar? He had to shake it off to get the uncomfortable feeling off him. "Katniss, I'm freezing."

Katniss shook her head to clear her mind and process his words before finally unlocking her doors, letting Peeta in. He was dripping wet from head to toe and he shivered furiously from where he was seated. "You're soaking wet."

"Thanks for the acute observation. So are you." He quipped, wearing a smile on his face to comfort her. His teeth were blindingly white in the contrast of the dark. "This is what I get for not remembering where I parked your car." He forced out a small laugh. "Any plans on turning on the heater?"

Katniss stared at him for a moment before looking at the keys in her hands as if she had forgotten what they were for. "Oh yeah." She said lamely, her mind still blank.

She raised the keys to the ignition, her hand shaking tremendously as she did so, either from the cold or from stifling sobs. Either way, it was making it difficult for her to start the car.

Peeta wore a pained expression as he took her hand in his, stifling her tremors and guiding her keys to the ignition for her, turning her engine on and then turning up the heat. "There. Nice and warm." He said to her warmly, guiding her hand back to her side. He was about to let go until Katniss' grip kept his hand in hers.

"Snow?" She asked, worried that he'd come after her after what had happened.

"I quit." Peeta answered, unenthusiastically. "Didn't want to deal with his bullshit anymore" He explained further. "Didn't have to." He turned to her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "And you don't have to either, Katniss."

Katniss turned to him, her face now flooded with concern. "You have no idea what he's capable of, Peeta." Her voice was small and strained.

"You're right, I don't." He returned. "That's why you need to _tell me _these things, Katniss. All this time, I had no idea he was blackmailing you." Katniss eyes widened. How much did he know? "I don't know what happened, or why Snow has to go through such lengths, but what I do know is that this isn't what your father would have wanted."

Katniss withdrew her hand from his and curled her frame tighter against itself. "Don't talk as if you knew him." She spat out viciously. "You didn't know him."

"It doesn't take a genius to know when something's wrong, Katniss." He stared at her intently, willing his point to get through her, to let her know she wasn't doing anything wrong and that Snow was just innately evil.

"I need to go." Katniss said, her voice crumbling at the words. "And you need to leave." She started forcing Peeta out, pushing against his large form in a futile effort to get him out the door. He didn't budge, but instead held her wrists in his hands. He turned to look down at them, the pale shiny lines of skin across them catching his attention. Katniss pulled away before he could say anything, although he wasn't going to.

"Katniss." was all he could say. What do you say to someone who had gone so far as to inflict harm on themselves anyway? He earnestly hoped the scars weren't fresh, and that they were but remnants of an awful past. But that was the problem wasn't it? Katniss' past. He didn't know anything about her, and she just wouldn't let it go. He decided he was going to change that. "Where to?"

Katniss looked at him, obvious distrust in her face. "W-what?"

"If you're leaving here, you sure as hell aren't driving." Peeta told her, a bit mockingly. He knew he had a big mouth, and half the time all he could come up with in conversation was insults, but if they got Katniss worked up, there was a higher chance of him getting his way. "If you're half as bad on the open road as you are in the parking lot, I'm pretty sure driving this late at night in a storm would be a bad idea."

She glared at him, obviously insulted. '_Hey, at least she was loathing him instead of loathing herself.'_

"C'mon." Peeta said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he pulled Katniss across from the driver seat onto the passenger seat before maneuvering his way over Katniss to switch places. His leg caught on the gear shift, and as Katniss tried to help unhook him, he struggled to get his leg free himself. "I'm fine, don't touch me." He said, a bit too defensively, causing Katniss to lean back lamely on her seat as he freed his leg from the contraption.

As he settled in comfortably in the seat he turned to Katniss, a gentle smile on his face. "Where to, Madame?" He asked playfully with his best British accent, recovering from his earlier tone.

Katniss just looked straight ahead into the rain. "Anywhere." She answered. "Anywhere but here."

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**Notes:** I'm particularly happy with this chapter. When I write AU fiction, I make it a point to draw parallels to the original, and I hope you guys have noticed and appreciated some of them, like the theme of hunger, Haymitch's obvious preference for Peeta (although there is something to be said with his complicated relationship with Katniss), and other hints I've dropped concerning where this story is headed.

Hope you guys enjoyed more of OOC Cato and Badass Peeta. I'm currently debating in myself who makes better comedic relief, Haymitch, or Cato, but I find they both tickle my funny bone in different ways.

**Now for the Reader Pop Quiz. **

**How old was Peeta when he bought his first CD with his own money?**

**Post your answer along with your review for an extended preview of the next chapter.**

_**Chapter 4: Explosions**_

_Peeta drove around the city idly as Katniss sat in her seat, biting her nails, deep in thought. He made a turn to a familiar diner he had come to frequent in his stay before parking and unbuckling his seatbelt._

"_What are you doing?" Katniss looked up from her reverie at Peeta who had now gotten out of the car._

"_We're going out for a bite." He answered simply. "I haven't eaten the whole day, and I don't know about you but I'm starving."_

_Katniss looked outside the car to the bright neon lights that decorated a beat-up old diner._

"_It's the only place I know that's open this time at night." Peeta explained. "Don't worry, the food's better than you think."_

_Katniss frowned and refused to get out of her seat. She was adamant about not moving until her stomach betrayed her with a large resounding growl._

"_Looks like The Beast's tank is empty." Peeta laughed. "Gotta fill her up now."_

_Katniss glared at him before unbuckling her seatbelt begrudgingly and getting out of the car._

"_That a girl." Peeta walked over to the other side of the car to meet her and shut the door behind her. "Don't worry. It's my treat."_

**Read, Review and Subscribe!**


	4. Explosions

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 6,798 words

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Warnings: Swearing, suicidal themes, substance abuse, gore, graphic descriptions and general emo-shit.

First off I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed last chapter and added this story to their alerts and favorites list. You have no idea how much it means to me and how much I value your feedback.

A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally, **anon**, , **GIFtoJPG**, **KinnaFatniss**, **Cannoli**, and **Chrysalis**.

Congratulations also to those who answered the **Reader Pop Quiz** correctly in their reviews and got a chance to see an **extended preview** of this chapter, **DandelionOnFire**,** TheBlackMagicRose**, **Kamil the Awesome**,** underscore is back**, and **KillerTimes**. Scroll down to see the rest of the chapter you haven't already read (or read from the start to see some non-major revisions I've made).

This chapter is a lot shorter than my usual ones, but that's because it packs quite a punch in emotional department. It was a little harder for me to write, because I was writing based on a lot of my personal experiences with a friend who went through similar bouts of depression when we were younger. For everybody who's curious as to what actually happened, I hope this chapter quenches your thirst for answers.

Anyway, enjoy the read!

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**Chapter 4: Explosions**

Peeta drove around the city idly as Katniss sat in her seat, biting her nails, deep in thought. He made a turn to a familiar diner he had come to frequent in his stay before parking and unbuckling his seatbelt.

"What are you doing?" Katniss looked up from her reverie at Peeta who had now gotten out of the car.

"We're going out for a bite." He answered simply. "I haven't eaten the whole day, and I don't know about you but I'm starving."

Katniss looked outside the car to the bright neon lights that decorated a beat-up old diner.

"It's the only place I know that's open this time at night." Peeta explained. "Don't worry, the food's better than you think."

Katniss frowned and refused to get out of her seat. She was adamant about not moving until her stomach betrayed her with a large resounding growl.

"Looks like The Beast's tank is empty." Peeta laughed. "Gotta fill her up now."

Katniss glared at him before unbuckling her seatbelt begrudgingly and getting out of the car.

"That a girl." Peeta walked over to the other side of the car to meet her and shut the door behind her. "Don't worry. It's my treat."

Katniss just rolled her eyes as she got out of the car slowly, now trudging on the wet muddy ground, her feet heavy. By now the rain had withered down to a slight drizzle, and she didn't mind the soft spray of water against her skin.

Peeta, on the other hand hated it. "Will you hurry up?" He asked impatiently, getting cold as he held the door to the diner open for her. He wasn't usually such a gentleman, but he felt as if somebody needed to care for Katniss in the state that she was in. She walked right past him and he was thankful once the door was shut behind him and the heat from the diner's vent hit him like a warm embrace.

"Peeta!" A blonde waitress with large poufy hair reminiscent of the forties greeted from behind the counter as he guided Katniss to a seat in one of the cushioned booths. "Long time no see!" She walked over to them with menus in hand. She placed them neatly on the table before taking out a small pad of order slips and a red strawberry pen. Katniss examined the lady taking their order. Above her chest pocket, embroidered in bright red and blue was the name, Delly. Before she realized she was staring, the waitress' voice caught her off-guard. "Your girlfriend?" She gestured to Katniss with a slight nod of her head. She wore an implying smile on her face as she raised her brow teasingly. Katniss could feel the heat rise to her cheeks at her words.

"Oh god no." Peeta let out all at once before he realized how it sounded when he denied the waitress' claim so quickly. He dove in for the save. "Not that you aren't beautiful in your own right Katniss. You're just not my type." He added, turning to her to see she had a stiff frown on her face. He turned back to the waitress and whispered through gritted teeth. "Don't say anything stupid, Delly."

The waitress nodded slowly, knowing quite well what exactly Peeta's type was and not taking heed of a word he said. "Believe me, I'm not the one saying anything stupid." She joked discreetly, stifling a laugh. "So can I get you and your friend-that's-a-girl anything?" She asked as she turned back to the girl sitting in the booth, tapping her pen against the pad she held.

Peeta rolled his eyes at her. "I'll have my usual." He answered without having to look at the menu before turning to Katniss. "And Katniss'll have-"

"A coffee." She finished, refusing to even look at the menu. Despite not having even eaten breakfast when Gale offered it to her and the incessant growling that her stomach was letting out, she didn't feel like eating. "I'll have mine black and strong."

"That's what she said." Delly burst out, not being able suppress her childish sense of humor.

"Uh, yeah." Peeta took the waitress' hand and led her away from the booth so Katniss wouldn't hear. He had to do something or the stubborn girl would end up giving herself an ulcer. "Just get her what I usually have. She hasn't eaten the entire day."

Delly dutifully wrote the order down. "Anything else?"

He began making his way back to their table, calling back behind him, "And stop it with the 'that's what she said' jokes." He pleaded loudly so she could hear, a half-smile on his face. "They're getting pretty old, and I'm really not in the mood."

Delly laughed as she walked to the counter to deliver the order to the cook. He was walking right into this, wasn't he? She called back in a loud voice, "That's what she said!"

Peeta buried his face in his palm as he returned to their table and sat down. "She's a character, that one."

Katniss nodded and unknowingly let a small laugh escape her lips.

"You actually found that funny?" Peeta laughed incredulously. "And here I thought I'd have to dress up like a clown and set myself on fire to get The Beast to laugh when all I had to do was crack a few 'that's what she said' jokes."

Katniss gave him the best glare she could muster but fell flat at the thought of the image Peeta had painted. She settled for a small pout. "You need to stop calling me that."

"What?" Peeta asked.

"The Beast." She answered, fiddling with her fingers. This was a habit of hers, he had noted.

"I'm sorry, I guess it just stuck." He replied sheepishly. "So just Katniss then."

"Yep, just Katniss."

Katniss reveled at how the man in front of her had such an effect on how she was feeling. In the car, all alone, she felt as if the world was closing in on her and that there was no escaping the inevitable depression she felt at the time. But now here she was, only moments later, in this brightly lit diner, talking about immature high school jokes and nicknames with a man whom she had just met today and who still managed to make a huge impression. He had a way of lightening her mood, if only for a while, with his big smile and even bigger mouth, and she forgot why all those fights between them even occurred.

"Sounds a lot like catnip though." He let out, and she frowned at the mention of the word. Now she remembered.

Just when she thought she could have a decent conversation with the man in front of her, as he did so many times before, he had to bring up an aspect of her life that she just did _not_ want to revisit. She couldn't blame him for it. He knew nothing about her past and he probably thought he was helping, when all he was doing was digging up deeply buried memories. She realized it was this man that had the ability to bother her so, to make her remember so many things in such a short amount of time, and it bothered her. It bothered her greatly.

"Gale used to call me that." She said when Peeta cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable at the sudden silence she had left him with. "But he doesn't anymore."

Peeta gauged her reaction and guessed. "It's complicated." He finished for her.

"Yeah." She nodded. "It is."

"If it's any consolation," Peeta began, knowing by now when to change the topic, "at least you're not named after bread."

Katniss laughed. He had _no _idea. "Yeah, I'm named after a _duck potato_, which is by far much worse."

"Seriously?" Peeta knew his name was odd. His father had always told him it built character and that he would definitely be remembered for it, but he couldn't brush off the shallow grudge he bore against his parents for naming him after flat bread. He could only imagine being named after a _duck potato_. "I don't even know what that is."

"It's sort of like a potato that grows under water." She tried to explain, but Peeta just grimaced at the image. "Well, technically I'm named after its flower, but you get my drift." Katniss explained further, not entirely displeased with her name. It was a pretty flower in its own right, and her father had taken poetic liberty with her name in a lot of his work. "You know the song _'Find yourself'_?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course." Peeta answered enthusiastically. It was almost embarrassing how much of a geek he was when it came to her father's music, but by now Peeta had come to appreciate when Katniss was willing to discuss with him any topic concerning her father, which he now knew to be a rare occurrence. "Got me through hell during my high school days."

"Well, the lyrics are sort of a play on my name." She smiled at the thought. "My father always joked around with us when we hit tough spots with money and his music wasn't selling. He said that as long as I found myself, we'd never starve."

Peeta burst out into legitimate laughter. "He said that?"

"Yep." Katniss just smiled, enjoying his reaction. Peeta was a mood changer for sure, be it for good or for bad. But right now, his smile was contagious.

"That is so _cheesy._" He had to cover his mouth with the back of his hand to stifle the laughs. "Didn't think he was that type of guy."

"There's a lot people don't know about my father." Katniss shared, more thoughtful, but with a smile still on her face, and Peeta was grateful that the particular pieces of information he managed to get out of her weren't bringing out any bad memories. "I just wish I could show people that side of him, you know?"

"Well, you're sharing it with me right now." Peeta offered. "That's a start right?"

"Yeah, I guess so." She smiled a genuine smile and Peeta found it hard not to focus on how much better she looked smiling. A small part of him inside was proud that he had gotten that out of her, and a larger part of him challenged himself to do it more often.

Delly arrived with their order just then, happy to see that Katniss' mood had brightened since the wait. "Here 'ya go. Diner's special breakfast for dinner." She said as she laid out the large order of food in front of them, plate after plate of artery-busting goodness. "And a black coffee for the lady." She turned to leave to give the two some privacy. "Enjoy your meal!"

"You're eating all this?" Katniss asked Peeta, her mouth agape at the amount of food in front of them.

"Nope, half of it's for you." He answered as he got his knife and fork ready, surveying the spread, at a loss as to where to begin.

"Peeta, I can't." Katniss shook her head worriedly, the sheer amount of food overwhelming her.

"Don't be ridiculous, of course you can!" He had to struggle to get the words out as he began stuffing his face with scrambled eggs. "This place has the best blueberry pancakes in the state." He assured her.

"No Peeta. I literally _can't_." Her eyes were wide at the mention of blueberry pancakes. "I'm allergic to blueberries." She explained simply. "I'd be dead before they even reached my stomach."

Peeta almost choked on his food when he heard what she said and he hurriedly grabbed a glass of water to down the food in his mouth before proceeding. "You're exaggerating." His brows furrowed at the thought that he would have inadvertently caused the death of the girl in front of him with his craving for blueberry pancakes.

"I probably am, but I'm not willing to find out." She laughed. Although Peeta's plan had gone awry, she couldn't help but appreciate his effort. She wasn't one to keep track of her health, and everybody around her just went with it, having stopped trying a long time ago. She was brought back to this morning when Gale hadn't even given her refusal of food a second thought. The last time somebody tried to force her to eat was when she used to eat meals with her family all together.

Peeta frowned, his mouth still half-stuffed with food, obviously displeased at his little mistake. He looked like someone had taken the fun out of his newest toy. "How 'bout bacon then?" He lifted a fork of bacon to her.

She looked up at him as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. She didn't have it in her to say no, after all his kind intentions. "You're in luck." she said finally. "I happen to love bacon." She grinned widely as she took the large strip of bacon from his fork with her hands and nibbled on it as if it were jerky. "Thank you."

Peeta smiled, having finally done something right. He started piling a ridiculous amount of bacon on her plate and Katniss made no effort to stop him. She was hungrier than she thought.

"So are all your siblings named after obscure vegetables?" Peeta asked as he made quick work of the pancakes, worried that the mere sight of them would make Katniss break out in hives. He found the topic of Katniss' name unexpectedly interesting, and he figured it was safe ground to start getting to know Katniss better.

"Not vegetables, _flowers_." She stressed. "My sister and I were named after my parents' favorite flowers." She explained, nibbling away at her strips of bacon, stopping only for a few sips of orange juice. Her black coffee went untouched. "Of course my sister was blessed with a more flattering name than I was." She laughed.

"I find that very hard to believe." Peeta countered sarcastically. "You can't get any better than _duck potato_."

"_Please_ don't make that into a new nickname. I get enough of that from Prim." She scrunched her nose in distaste. Peeta found that cute, or as cute Katniss could get in her perpetual stony disposition.

"Is that her name? Prim?" Peeta ignored her request and jumped to the next topic. He wouldn't allow her to deny him the entertainment that was poking fun at her rather original name.

"It's short for Primrose." Now _those_ Peeta had heard of. "She loves her name." Katniss fiddled with her plate of eggs. "Personally I think it makes her sound like a complete prep."

"I can imagine." Peeta noted that Katniss talked about her sister with a tone of pure affection, despite it all. 'She must mean a lot to her' he thought. Before he could further the conversation, the muffled sound of a phone ringing cut him off. He vaguely recognized the ring as a certain blonde baboon's latest single and took a stab at a poor piece of sausage with his fork in annoyance.

Katniss cursed under her breath and Peeta looked up, eyes wide in realization when Katniss shifted uncomfortably in her seat, obviously embarrassed that the sound was coming from her phone. "Seriously?" Peeta gestured toward her with his fork, the sausage still impaled on its end.

There was no use hiding it now. "I have _got_ to remember to change my ringtone." She had difficulty digging for her phone in her pockets which had seemingly shrunk from the rain. "It's past midnight. Who the heck could be calling me this late?" She growled before furrowing her brows at the caller ID.

"It's not Snow, is it?" Peeta voiced out in worry. He propped himself up on his seat to see who it was on Katniss' screen. "Isn't that-"

"My sister." She finished. "I wonder." Katniss wore a frown on her face in thought before she finally picked up. "Hello, Prim?"

Peeta set down his fork as he struggled to listen in on the conversation. He knew it probably wasn't right, but he couldn't help himself.

"Prim, slow down." Katniss breathed out, her voice suddenly grave. "Just lock the doors, shut the windows. Don't let mom out of your sight." Her voice shook as she spoke. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"What was it?" Peeta sat up, alarmed at her tone.

"I need to get home." She got up from the table and darted out, not leaving Peeta any time to react.

"Katniss, wait!" Peeta got up to follow, knocking over her cup of coffee, spilling its contents on his pants in the ensuing panic. Delly ran over to help him, paper towels in hand.

"What was that about?" She asked, sincerely worried.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." He handed her a wad of bills and apologized for their abrupt departure and unfinished food, promising to make it up to her later before running out of the diner.

He was relieved when he remembered that Katniss' keys were still safely in his pocket, preventing her from escaping to who-knew-where exactly. He found her pacing back and forth, unfocused and frantic.

"Katniss!" He called out, running over to the girl, panic written all over her face.

"My keys, I can't find my keys." Katniss had her pockets outturned as she dug for her missing keys.

"Katniss, your keys are with me." He reminded her, which earned him a cold glare. "What the hell is going on?" He grasped her by the shoulders, trying to calm her down.

"Snow." That was all it took for Peeta to understand. "I need to get home. My mom, and Prim-"

"Katniss, you're not driving anywhere this late." He urged her.

"What do you expect me to do?" She practically screamed, her eyes brimming with tears. "This is all my fault." She collapsed against him, sobbing.

"How far is it?" He asked, holding her quivering frame, trying to settle her.

"Peeta, no." She let out weakly wondering why he would go to such lengths for a girl he barely even knew.

"I'll take you there." He took her by the wrist, trying to force her into the passenger seat.

She pulled her wrist out of his grasp, refusing. "No Peeta. This is _my_ problem. I'm not dragging you into this."

"Katniss, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be _in_ this position." Peeta's raised his voice without thinking.

Katniss stared at him a look of pure disbelief on her face. "So that's why you've been doing this?" She spat out, feeling stupid for not realizing it earlier. "Because you _pity_ me?"

"Katniss, no. I didn't mean-" Peeta tried to explain.

"I don't need your _fucking pity_." Her knuckles were a bare white as she clenched them tightly. She barely registered the seething pain that came with her nails puncturing her skin in the process. A small trickle of blood trailed down from her clenched fists, making Peeta's eyes widen.

"Katniss your hands." He gulped, suddenly remembering the marks he had seen on her wrists. He willed himself to look away from her hands and back at her. Her eyes were wide and crazed her jaw clenched tightly in silent fury.

Katniss paused before raising the objects of Peeta's alarm slowly, her eyes focusing on the dark trail of liquid seeping from four wounds on each of her hands. The sight of blood unhinged her.

Peeta approached her cautiously as she was transfixed with her bloody hands. "Katniss?" His voice was soft, as if the volume would send her off the edge. "Are you okay?" As he was close enough to feel her heavy breaths as they condensed in the cold air surrounding them, her frame gave way and Peeta caught her just as she was about to fall. "Katniss?" He panicked.

Her eyes were open, but unfocused, and she didn't seem to hear him. It unnerved him to see her in this catatonic state, here, but not really here. She trembled in her stirring unconsciousness as Peeta tried to shake her out of it. A cold shiver ran down his spine alerting him to the familiarity of the situation as he held the limp frame of the girl in his arms and he pushed the memory back before opening the door to her car with difficulty, settling the oblivious girl on the passenger seat. He took her hands and examined them, grateful to see that the cuts weren't very deep and that the blood had already begun to clot stopping the flow of blood. "Sorry Katniss, but I can't let you go alone. Not like this." He buckled her seatbelt up for her and pushed the matted hair back from her forehead and eyes behind her ears before making his way to the driver seat and driving off, not really knowing where to go. He contemplated taking her to the hospital but he had a gut feeling Katniss and hospitals didn't quite mesh well together.

"I need to know where I'm going Katniss." He pleaded, but she just sat there, eyes veering off into nowhere.

He stopped at a gas station, filling up for the possibly long drive that awaited him. He checked up on Katniss, whose eyes had now began to droop from fatigue. He saw the end of her phone sticking out from her pocket and in a decisive move, pulled it out. To his relief, she didn't protest. He stared at her, a sad look on his eyes. "What happened to you?" he whispered to himself.

He scanned her phone's caller history to the last call and dialed it, hoping he could get directions or at least know how to deal with Katniss' current state from her sister. "Hello Katniss?" A small urgent voice emerged from the phone.

"Uh hi." Peeta mentally scolded himself for not thinking of a better greeting. "Is this Primrose Everdeen?"

"Who is this?" The voice returned defensively, obviously expecting Katniss on the other line.

"I'm a friend of Katniss'." He began. "She can't drive right now, so I'm taking her. I need directions."

"I don't believe you." Prim answered. For someone with a rather small voice, her animosity did strike a punch. He didn't blame her. He couldn't imagine that Katniss had a lot of friends to begin with. "What did you do to my sister?"

"It's a long story, I can explain. I just need-"

"I don't know how you got your hands on my sister's phone, but If you're one of those goddamn reporters, we don't have anything to say to you and you can all just fuck yourselves." She hung up. Peeta cursed. Apparently general distrust and misanthropy ran in the family. He suddenly wished he were one of those crazy fans who made it a point to know where their favorite idols lived, as creepy as it sounded. At least then, he'd know where the heck he was going. He kicked the tire of Katniss car in desperation before a disturbance distracted him.

"Get the hell out of here, 'ya old drunk!" The gasoline station's shopkeeper had thrown out a man in a struggle. The man barged out of the shop barefoot, throwing profanities in the air as he stumbled out. His shoes made an appearance as the shopkeeper threw them out as well, hitting the drunk on the back before settling themselves on the ground with a thud.

"Fuck it. Who needs 'ya!" Peeta knew that voice.

"Haymitch!" He yelled, trying to call the man's attention before realizing that was a stupid idea. He highly doubted the man's awareness of his surroundings at the present. He turned to Katniss, to see she had fallen into turbulent sleep, and then back at the drunk man who had now started to walk out of his sight.

He got back into the car and drove off to catch up to the man who was by now at the island that divided the lanes of road, walking unsteadily along the thin patch of elevated ground.

"Haymitch!" He called again as he drove slowly by the drunk man's side. This time, he noticed.

Haymitch wore a frown with his red half-lidded eyes as he trudged to the side of the car and leaned on Peeta's open window. He smelled very strongly of stale sweat and strong liquor.

"Well if it isn't little mister badass." He said in a long drawn out drawl. "I'm a big fan of your work." He laughed. His head tipping to the side from gravity.

Peeta put the car on hazard as he tried to reason with the drunk. "Haymitch." Haymitch's attention had gone to a little firefly which had drifted close enough to distract him. "Haymitch!" Peeta practically screamed, catching the man's attention. "I need you to focus." Peeta's voice was uncharacteristically grave.

Haymitch frowned, his eyes suddenly sparking with awareness as he focused on the limp figure of the girl on the passenger seat, bloodied hands and trembling incessantly even in her sleep.

"Katniss. She-" Peeta trailed off. He didn't know where to begin and how much he could reveal.

"Spit it out boy." Haymitch growled.

"Her sister called. There was trouble. She wanted to go alone, but I couldn't let her, not this late at night." Peeta's words were jumbled and his speech frantic. "And she got angry, and then there was blood, lots of it. And suddenly she-"

"She saw the blood?" Haymitch tried to confirm. Peeta furrowed his brows at the man as he nodded. Haymitch knew something he didn't.

"You tried calling her sister?" Haymitch asked, letting himself into the car as he spoke, scooting over to the seat behind Katniss' and expertly adjusting her seat so it reclined, allowing him to push her over into a fetal position.

"Yeah. She wouldn't talk to me though." 'Told me to fuck myself is more like it.' Peeta watched as Haymitch examined Katniss' hands, pulling out a piece of cloth from his pockets, soaking it with liquor from his flask before cleaning and bandaging her wounds. "I just need to take her home, Haymitch." Peeta's voice shook as he spoke.

Haymitch narrowed his eyes as he looked Peeta over, deciding if he could be trusted or not. "I'll lead you there." He said simply before turning back to Katniss. "It's an eight hour drive. Hope 'ya know what you're getting into, boy."

Peeta breathed the most sincere sigh of relief he had in his life, leaning back into his seat and driving off.

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It was morning by the time Katniss' labored sleep settled into a steady slumber and the changing scenery as Peeta drove provided a calming contrast from the bustling city he had driven from. He found the route they were taking familiar. It had been the same route he took once or twice a year to visit his family back home. He silently wondered if he'd get a chance to pass by, but then shook the thought out of his head. Katniss was the priority right now. They were way out of state by the time the sky held a tint of orange against the pale darkness as the sun began to rise and Peeta couldn't help but look back at how much had happened in just a day.

Haymitch had played his role well, guiding him out of the city via provincial roads as the scenery grew less and less urban. Peeta held a new sense of respect for the man who had stood vigil by Katniss' side, turning her over in her sleep and making sure to unclench her fists as a particularly strong tremor befell her. He had a feeling this wasn't the first time Haymitch had to deal with this, and in the back of his head, he wondered how deep his and Katniss' history ran.

"We're almost there." He let out, his voice surprising Peeta amidst the silence that he had endured for the most part of the trip, aside from Katniss' constant sleep talking and mumbling.

He surveyed his surroundings. This couldn't be right. This was only a few minutes' drive from his old neighborhood. Did Katniss' family live_ here_? The familiar road sent shivers down his spine. _'It couldn't be._' he thought.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Peeta asked, his eyes trained on the road. Haymitch grunted, his way of saying yes. It was obvious that Haymitch wasn't one for conversation, but Peeta was determined to get some answers. "What happened to her?" he asked, finally gathering up the courage.

"'Ya best not be sticking your head in places they don't belong, boy." Haymitch replied, obviously trying to avoid the question, but Peeta pried on.

"While you were asleep, back in the studio-" Peeta began, "the sound of thunder scared her to death. She could barely move."

Haymitch huffed. "Sounds 'bout right."

Peeta continued. "She said something about explosions." He tilted his head in Haymitch's directions, gauging his reaction.

Haymitch just laughed at his insistence on the matter. "And why in the hell would 'ya think I knew a damn 'bout this girl's issues?" He crossed his arms as he took another swig from his flask.

"You're her godfather." He stated simply, as if it were an esteemed title. "You're bound to know _something_ about her past. About her father, about what happened."

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "I couldn't care less 'bout Joseph Everdeen, much less about his fucked up daughter."

"Didn't seem that way a few hours ago." Peeta called him out. "Else you wouldn't even be here, showing me how to get her home."

The boy just wouldn't give up, would he?

Haymitch sat silent for awhile before he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as if bracing himself for something. "How much 'ya know 'bout Joseph Everdeen's death, boy?" His voice suddenly clear and sober.

Peeta furrowed his brows. He knew as much as any other die-hard fan did. He had died of natural causes, being confined in the hospital for a long time before finally slipping away. "Apparently not much, if you're using that tone." He settled for playing dumb. If he was going to get all the details, he needed to be cunning about things.

Haymitch let out another laugh. The boy was clever, he observed, and he silently wondered if he was involved with Joseph's daughter just out of pure fanaticism for the band.

"The press say old Joe died 'cuz his heart failed him". Haymitch began.

"But that's not really what happened, was it?" Peeta finished.

Haymitch drew in a large breath before he continued. "Joe always wanted his family involved in his music. Didn't give a second thought if it fucked them up later on or not. Was a good thing for the most part, the others, not so much. Kat was a little daddy's girl, she was. Wanted to become a musician just like him, followin' after him everywhere he went. Had a knack for music just as much as her father did, and her voice." Haymitch paused. "Heaven."

Peeta nodded, it was true.

"When their mother started goin' off the deep end, Alzheimer's bein' the bitch that it is, things started gettin' bad." Haymitch frowned at the recollection. "Joe took the hit pretty bad. Dark times, those were. Dark times. Just wasn't there for the kids. Stopped writin' music entirely, spent most of his time on tour drinkin', sleepin' around. That was our last album. He was gone for so long, people thought he was sick or somthin'. Poor man was a mess. Was no wonder Kat got up and followed suit. That girl'd follow her father off a cliff if he jumped off it. But teens bein' teens, rebellion in their blood, after awhile, Kat left home. Ran off with that Gale kid and started her own band."

'So she's known Gale for that long.' Peeta thought, frowning.

"Lived on the hype of her father's name most of the way through. Would've been famous too if they got the chance to actually debut. Got into some _real_ bad company before that could happen though. Alcohol, drugs, you name it. She was just so _young_ damnit." Haymitch had to pause to regain his composure, getting unexpectedly emotional as he recounted the tale. "Joe sobered up after the first call from the police. He had to pick her up from the station. She was caught doin' drugs in the band's dressin' room. By then, Kat just wasn't daddy's girl anymore. He tried to get a hold of her after that, but by the time things got out of hand, it was too late."

"What happened?" Peeta gulped, overwhelmed by what he had just heard, but too engrossed in the tale to stop.

"Was the fifth or sixth time the police called old Joe up. Kat was drivin' under the influence, barely even conscious when they found her truck smashed up against a concrete barrier. Awful driver, she was. Wondered how she even got off the road in her state. Joe rushed to the station, like he always did. Was hell to cover up for her though, and most of the money we made from our music went to bribin' the press to stay quiet. When Joe got there though, Kat wasn't havin' any of it. Had to stop her from hittin' poor old Joe myself. God knows he wouldn't lay a finger on that child. The drive home was different that day." Haymitch's face darkened. "Don't know what happened in that car, wasn't there to see. But somehow, it veered off the road into a gas tanker. A poor old biker got mixed in somehow."

Peeta's eyes widened and he grasped the wheel of the car tighter than he had before. He didn't need to hear the rest. He recalled that night as plain as day.

He had been on his way home from his late shift at work. He'd taken two part time jobs to pay for music school and his latest job went on through past midnight. The road was calm enough, and as safe as it could be, three in the morning, barely any cars on the road. A particularly fast car overtook him that night, he remembered. It had almost took him out, but he had the sense to avoid it just before it could.

A half a mile later, he heard a loud crash. He arrived on the scene soon enough to see the driver of a gas tanker slouched over in his seat, face bloodied and unrecognizable, impaled in a stray shard of metal at the impact the truck had sustained against the car. Peeta rushed off his bike, not even bothering to set it upright, letting it fall down as he ran to the car that had crashed itself so badly into the truck. The strong scent of gas told him he'd have to move fast.

The door of the car was locked. He slammed his hand against the car window, screaming with all his might at the two still inside the car to open the damn door. The glass was partially shattered, but it wouldn't budge against the palm of his hand. He screamed, willing one of them to get the damn door open. The man on the driver's seat coughed up a little blood as he came to his senses, his ribs obviously pushed back into his form by the impact. He looked at Peeta, mouthing words he couldn't understand, struggling with all his might to get the door open. The man couldn't move. Peeta slammed his fist hard against the window in panic, finally enough to shatter the glass to get to the girl in the passenger seat.

'Save her.' Was all the man could say, copious amounts of blood now rushing from his mouth and his shirt, alerting him to just how badly he was injured. It was all he could do not to recoil at the sight. He wasn't going to make it. He nodded as he turned to the still unconscious girl, adrenaline giving him enough energy to haul her out through the window, cutting him in numerous places in the process. A particularly large gash through his leg made it hard for him to walk.

The girl was shaken into unsteady consciousness as he began dragging her away from the burning wreckage. 'Can you walk?' he asked through gritted teeth, his strength giving way. She nodded slowly, eyes unfocused, still dizzy from the crash. She struggled against the man who supported her before turning back. 'My dad.' She let out, coughing. 'He's still in there. You need to go get him.' He couldn't tell her that he was past saving, so instead he let her down and returned to the wreckage, trying as best he could to get the man free. The man shook his head as Peeta crawled into the wreck of a car, trying to pry him from the wheel that pressed against his torso. 'Save yourself.' He let out through gasps of breath. 'Take care of my daughter.' Peeta was crying as he called out to the girl only meters from the wreck. 'He won't budge! I can't get him out!' The girl stood shakily and screamed. 'Save him! You can't leave him!' A loud whooshing sound alerted Peeta to something being ignited, and he knew he didn't have much time left. The man shook his head and Peeta understood. Peeta crawled out of the wreck and ran to the girl, tackling her to the ground as he shielded her from the impending explosion. And all he could remember were her shrill screams as the wreck blew up in flames, right before her eyes.

_He_ was that biker.

Her fear of thunder and explosions, the familiarity of her eyes that time outside in the rain as he furiously knocked on her window, pleading for her to open the door, and her limp frame against his – they all made sense now. He turned to Haymitch to see that the man was now in tears. He wasn't so far off himself, finally realizing the gravity of what he had done that day. This was where it happened, and he had witnessed it all.

"Saved Kat before the whole thing went up in flames." Haymitch bent over as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Joe wasn't so lucky."

He wasn't so lucky either.

Peeta had lost his leg that day, waking up at a hospital bed to find a stump in its place. When he asked about the girl and her father, the nurses and doctors just shook their heads sadly. He had just assumed they didn't make it, and to this day, he had considered that night his one biggest failure. The man had told him to take care of his daughter. He couldn't do even that. He had spent the rest of his life wishing he could have done more for the girl and her father, even if it cost him more than what he had already lost. He couldn't live with the guilt. His leg was a constant reminder of that.

But fate had a funny way of coming back and biting you in the ass.

"Kat never did stop blamin' herself for the whole thing." Haymitch continued, but Peeta wished that he would just stop. He couldn't hear any more of this, or he was going to break. "Didn't even attend 'is funeral. She just wasn't herself after, nightmares every night, blackouts, on the worst days, she wouldn't even move. Couldn't even bring herself to use her own name. Took all that we could do to stop her from endin' it herself. After awhile, she just ran away from it all. Never even heard from her 'til yesterday."

He was tied to this girl in more ways than one, he realized, and he would never stop owing her – for her father's music and inspiration, for not being to save him, for her losing bouts with depression and for inadvertently causing so much emotional damage that he wondered if they could even be fixed. Fate had dealt him a difficult hand when he found out he was responsible for the hell Katniss had to live through each day and he didn't know how to deal with it anymore.

Just when he thought the worst was over, Haymitch's face grew solemn as he stared off into space in front of him. "We're here."

Peeta had unknowingly made a promise to Joseph Everdeen that night, and he was going to do everything in his power to keep it.

* * *

**Notes:** So yeah, Peeta saved Katniss :o (why are we all not surprised, haha). And Primrose swears. Yay for Modern Day AU!

Sorry for the short chapter (comparatively) and semi-cliffy, and sorry for starting the story off so happily and then crushing your hearts with the saddest shit I've ever written. I was actually tearing up while I was writing Peeta's recollection of the event. It was very emotionally taxing, so excuse me if there are blatantly obvious grammatical, syntax, and spelling errors in that area of my writing. I just couldn't bring myself to read back on it because it hurt so much to write X( I almost feel bad for overshadowing Delly's awesome sense of humor with a shitload of emo crap.

For all of you who connected the dots before the big reveal, good job. You are mind readers. For all of you who didn't, sorry for making Peeta lose his leg (again), but I thought it tied in well with the story, and I didn't want to stray too far off from the story's inspiration.

Again, thanks to all those who reviewed. There are so many of you who put this on their alert list, and it makes me feel so happy. Don't be afraid to make your presence known once in awhile in the reviews.

**And now for the Reader Pop Quiz. **

**From where in the original THG novel did the line "I'd be dead before they even reached my stomach." originate?**

**Post your answer along with your review for an extended preview of the next chapter.**

_**Chapter 5: The Wounded**_

_They pulled up to a normal looking bungalow, except it wasn't so normal looking, not with a hundred or so cameramen, reporters, journalists and crazed fans camped out and crowding out in front. 'What exactly was going on?' Peeta's brows furrowed as she stopped a few hundred meters short of their ultimate destination parking behind the shade of a few trees, effectively concealing them. "What do we do now?" He asked the older man. "We can't exactly walk Katniss to the front door. They'd be on her in a second."_

_Haymitch just frowned. " Fuckin' Snow's done it now, hasn't he." He muttered miserably, taking a swig of alcohol from his flask before looking back at where they had drove from, deep in thought. "Gonna have to take the long way 'round now."_

"_Lead the way." Peeta offered quite willingly, stealing a glance at still sleeping girl beside him._

**Read, Review and Subscribe!**


	5. The Wounded

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 7,781 words

Warnings: Long descriptions and blocks of text, awkward partial nudity and inspiring Haymitch (le gasp!)

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First off I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed last chapter and added this story to their alerts and favorites list. Some of you even added me as a favorite author! You guys are awesome and you have no idea how much it means to me and how much I value your feedback.

A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally, ** anonymous**, **Flying Fantasy**, **Anonymous**, **Cannoli**_, _**KinnFantiss**, **Johanna mason**, and **GIFtoJPG**

Congratulations also to those who answered the **Reader Pop Quiz** correctly in their reviews and got a chance to see an **extended preview** of this chapter, **Ballade Sarah**, **Senoj27**, **DandelionOnFire**, **Kamil the Awesome**,** CorpseBandit**, **underscore is back**, and **KillerTimes**. Scroll down to see the rest of the chapter you haven't already read (or read from the start to see some non-major revisions I've made).

This chapter was a bit of a bother to write at the start, but it sped up after I hit the halfway mark because I was just so excited with what was happening. So take heed, it might be the same way reading it through. It slows the story down a bit from last chapter, but gains momentum towards the end, so there's a lot to look forward to.

Anyway, enjoy the read!

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**Chapter 5: The Wounded**

They pulled up to a normal looking bungalow, except it wasn't so normal looking, not with a hundred or so cameramen, reporters, journalists and crazed fans camped out and crowding out in front. 'What exactly was going on?' Peeta's brows furrowed as she stopped a few hundred meters short of their ultimate destination parking behind the shade of a few trees, effectively concealing them. "What do we do now?" He asked the older man. "We can't exactly walk Katniss to the front door. They'd be on her in a second."

Haymitch just frowned. "Fuckin' Snow's done it now, hasn't he?" He muttered miserably, taking a swig of alcohol from his flask before looking back at where they had drove from, deep in thought. "Gonna have to take the long way 'round now."

"Lead the way." Peeta offered quite willingly, stealing a glance at still sleeping girl beside him.

Haymitch directed him to back up and drive quite a distance around the perimeter until they hit a patch of thick greenery and thistle where the road ended. The place looked like an old abandoned playground in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and a thick patch of forest, the only dividing factor a high metal mesh fence which he had assumed was to keep animals out, or the kids in. Peeta vaguely remembered driving past the location one point in his life or another, except then it wasn't deserted and unkempt as it was now, vines now growing up the sides of the swing sets, slides and teeter-totters. The now almost-sober Haymitch instructed Peeta to park his car in a thinned out patch of land, closer to the greenery than the playground itself to keep it hidden. Needless to say, it was a taxing effort taking Katniss' BMW through off-road conditions, but it held itself up. Peeta could see Haymitch's face greening from the corner of his eye at the bumpy ride, and he had a hunch the drunk wasn't very fond of car rides in general, at least when he wasn't distracted by alcohol or the welfare of his goddaughter. Katniss on the other hand, slept soundly, her earlier thrashing now substituted with deep, evenly measured breaths. Peeta was relieved.

"We're going on foot from here." Haymitch grunted as he got out of the car, stretching his legs, obviously not used to the long car ride even after years of touring around the country. He winced has his bare feet made contact with the forest floor, having forgotten his shoes back at the gas station. He swore. "Boy, hand me her phone, will 'ya?"

"I have a name, you know." Peeta frowned at him before getting out of the car and tossing the phone to him.

"Yeah whatever, bread boy." Haymitch waved his hand dismissively as he fuddled with the piece of technology in his hand, his large calloused fingers almost too much for its small touch screen. Peeta watched the man with a small smile on his face, mentally placing bets as to whether he'd get it to work. After an entire ordeal, he dialed a number and put the phone against his ear. The younger Everdeen answered.

"I told you, we have nothing to say-" Peeta heard Prim's voice. Haymitch had accidentally put the phone on speaker mode as he cursed.

"Damnit Primrose, will you just shut your pie hole for just one minute?" Haymitch growled into the phone. Peeta could have sworn he heard a meep from the girl on the other end.

"Haymitch?" She let out, her voice surprised.

"We're over at the playground. We'll be there soon. Make sure to get the back door ready." Haymitch paused, listening to Prim's voice. Peeta couldn't make out the words and he squinted as if it would drastically enhance his hearing. Haymitch grunted, nodding to himself and hung up, throwing the phone back at Peeta, catching him off guard. "Well then, don't just stand there. Grab sleepin' beauty and let's go!"

Peeta circled the car to get to Katniss' side, putting her seat up and unbuckling her belt before lifting her small form up from the seat. She was lighter than he had remembered in his arms and he could feel her deep breaths against his chest as she slept, undisturbed. His heartbeat quickened, his body reacting differently now that he knew the entire story behind the broken girl in his arms. He kicked the door shut, the sound of metal on metal making Haymitch look back and narrow his eyes at the boy before shrugging it off and walking along the rickety fence looking for something. Peeta breathed a sigh of relief, cursing his prosthetic leg as he followed the man. He had no intention of revealing who he was, at least not yet.

They stopped when Haymitch bent over to examine a specific part of the fence, digging around the dirt that anchored it before pulling the mesh out from the loose ground and then subsequently opening the mesh up large enough just for them to crawl through. The older man crouched down low with some difficulty before dragging himself through the hole. He held out his hands on the other side, motioning for Peeta to pass the sleeping girl over to him. Peeta raised his brow doubtfully at the man, not trusting him to be strong enough to handle Katniss' weight. He suddenly felt protective of the girl who for some reason felt perfect in his arms.

"Oh c'mon boy, I've been doin' this for much longer than you have." There was some truth in his voice and Peeta didn't want to think about what situations had called for him to carry an unconscious Katniss through a hole in a fence. He crouched low enough to pass the girl in his hands to the waiting arms of the older man who huffed as he cushioned the weight of the girl with little difficulty before standing up from his squatting position. He wasn't half-bad for a man in his fifties.

Peeta soon followed through the hole in the fence, after which he insisted Haymitch hand Katniss back to him. The man just rolled his eyes before complying and setting the mesh fence back into the ground, burying it back into the dirt and scattering stray leaves over where he had pried it from the ground to make the weakness in the fence inconspicuous. He waved his hand for Peeta to follow him through the trees and thistle, making sure to clear stray branches along the way to make the hike easier on the boy who held the young Everdeen in his arms.

'How far away exactly did they have to trek?' Peeta began to wonder to himself, small beads of sweat rolling down his neck and his shirt sticking unpleasantly against his back. In the back of his mind, he registered that he had been drenched in rain twice, soaked in spilt coffee and hadn't taken a bath in a full day. He sniffed his shoulder at the best angle he could, suddenly self-aware and conscious as to how much exactly he reeked of sweat, but the girl in his arms didn't seem to mind as she curled up against him in her sleep. He silently hoped that when he reached her house, her sister would spare him a short shower and maybe a change of clothes.

Haymitch noticed him lagging behind and he turned back to make sure things were okay. "If you're gettin' tired, I can always take over 'ya know?" He smirked at the boy, enjoying his reaction to the taunt. He laughed and led on. "It's not far off now."

They reached a small clearing a few yards from a fenced house which Peeta recognized as the bungalow from earlier. He could see the vague outlines of the reporters still camped out in front, blocked by the by the large bushes and foliage of their front yard. He was thankful they didn't need to deal with all the hullaballoo. He turned to Haymitch whose eyes were now trained at the fence. It didn't seem like he had any intention of moving and Peeta thought that maybe the fence was an unexpected obstacle. Peeta gulped at the thought of having to climb over the tall fence, wondering how they'd manage with Katniss in this state. He was about to make a move to wake the girl when Haymitch whistled a tune that mimicked some sort of bird and Peeta saw a blonde girl exit the house stealthily to meet them at the fence.

Haymitch walked out into the open to meet her as she unlocked a small hinge in the fence which was apparently a gate. Peeta soon followed behind him, pausing to get a better grasp of Katniss in his arms. The blonde girl whom he deduced to be Katniss' sister stared intently at him, and then to her sister. He shifted at the uncomfortable scrutiny. There was no time to question her gaze because she quickly led them to the back door of the house, shutting it quickly once everybody had gotten inside.

Haymitch seemed to know his way around the house as he lead Peeta to a couch where he could settle Katniss on. The blonde girl ran to another room and came back with antiseptic and bandages, immediately making her way to her sister, kneeling beside her and tending to her hands.

"Did she cut herself again?" she asked Haymitch, her eyes trained on the messy bandages Haymitch had applied the night before. The question seemed normal to the girl, as if it were a common occurrence, or once had been. Haymitch shook his head and then nodded to Peeta. He hadn't actually heard the entire story himself.

"She clenched her fists so hard they broke skin." was all he said. He didn't actually want to tell her sister that it was her anger at Snow and most probably himself that had caused her injuries.

"It happens." She answered, replacing Katniss' bandages and then turning her over on her side much like Haymitch had done in the car. "How long has she been asleep?"

"About six to seven hours." Peeta answered meekly. Katniss' sister looked very young, much younger than he expected. But her mature tone and calm disposition told him that the years had aged her quicker than what was meant to be.

"She's going to be out for another four to six hours then." She stood up and placed her hands on her hips, surveying her work. Peeta's brows furrowed, not entirely sure how she knew that. She answered his internal dialogue as if able to read his mind only moments later. "Last time she had an episode like this, she was out for half a day. At worst she doesn't get up 'til the day after." She finally turned to look at Peeta who looked like he had been living out on the street for days. "You look like crap."

Haymitch laughed.

"Well, yeah." Peeta mumbled. It's not like he had the liberty to take care of himself the past twenty-four hours. Katniss had made sure of that, but he wasn't mad. How _could_ he be after what he just found out?

"Is that-?" The girl frowned as she saw the dark stain on his pants.

"It's coffee." Peeta completed before she could jump into any wild conclusions. He turned a bright red, now shifting uncomfortably in his pants which had grown quite stiff from the rain and the dirt from the hike. Haymitch just made himself welcome, going through what looked to be a wine cabinet as he continued to laugh at the expense of the poor boy

"Well, no use standing there." She gestured for him to follow her. "Bathroom's this way. I'll have a fresh change of clothes for you in a jiffy." She turned to Haymitch. "You're one to laugh. You don't exactly smell like a fresh bed of roses either, and where the hell are your shoes?"

Haymitch just poured himself a glass of wine and waved her off, settling himself down on a bar stool and drinking himself away.

She turned back to Peeta, taking him by the wrist and pulling him along. "I'm Prim by the way."

"Yeah, Katniss told me about you." He was perfectly comfortable with being led around by now.

Prim perked up noticeably when she heard that Katniss had told him about her. "What did she say?"

"Not much. Only that you're both named after your parents' favorite flowers." He hadn't exactly had the time to make considerable amount of conversation with Katniss, what with everything that happened.

"Figures." Prim grumbled. "I'm the best thing that's happened to her and she doesn't even do me any justice." They approached a door and Prim led him into a room that looked relatively unused. "You got a name?"

"Peeta."

Looking at the girl in front of him, she was nominally different from her sister. She had paler skin and almost bleach blonde hair that ran down in smooth waves down her back. He wondered if Katniss' hair bore the same sheen. He had only ever seen her in a braid. Prim's eyes were very similar to Katniss' in shape, but the pale blue of her irises echoed that of his own. He decided he liked grey better.

"Well Peeta, the bathroom's in there." She pointed at a door across the room. "The towels are stocked, so you're all set. I'll go dig around for some clothes you can change into." She turned to leave but paused before returning her gaze to him. "And if you so much as make a move out that door to any reporters, Haymitch will be at you in a heartbeat."

Peeta cringed as the door closed behind her. Apparently, she still didn't trust him, but he couldn't help but take heed of her warning. Over the past few hours he had come to realize that Haymitch was more than just any old drunk, and he held a protective aura when it came to the Everdeens. He very well may be able to take him down if he did anything that jeopardized the siblings, not that he would.

He surveyed the room around him. There were no windows. It was safe.

He made a move to remove his jacket and shirt, folding them away as neatly as he could so as not to impose. He never really was good with laundry. He removed his belt and stood there suddenly, hesitating.

He couldn't remember the last time he was so self-conscious about his leg until this day. He had always hidden it and told people about it on a need-to-know basis, but today, more than any other day, he felt his leg was an unwelcome intruder in his otherwise normal body. He frowned as he shuffled out of his pants and folded them with the rest of his clothes before heading on over to the bathroom. The sound of his prosthetic against the bathroom tiles jolted him a little, and he reached for one of the stocked towels, throwing it on the floor to cushion the contact before proceeding.

After a meticulous shower and nearly leaving his skin raw from scrubbing, he emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his form, refreshed, but still troubled. While he was relieved Katniss was home safe, the flurry of reporters and journalists flocked by her house surely wasn't nothing. He thought back to what Snow had brought up.

Katniss was being blackmailed, and he was sure it had something to do with her father. If what Haymitch said was true and they had indeed bribed the press to stay quiet all these years, Snow had something up his sleeve to change that, and he knew this was part of it. He was certain Katniss knew that, and he was almost certain Haymitch and Prim had a hunch as to what was going on. The question was why wasn't anyone doing anything to stop it?

Peeta buried his face into his hands as he sat down on a wooden crate, the only piece of furniture in the otherwise empty room. He had noted the paint-less strips of wall, as if something were torn down earlier on, telling him it wasn't always this empty, and little clumps of foam he recognized as sound-proofing material confirmed that. This must've been a studio at some point or another. Now, it was just a room with pale white walls – cold, bare and empty.

He was shaken out of his reverie by the door suddenly opening, revealing a wide-eyed Prim with a handful of clothes. A bright red painted her face before she mumbled something incoherent and shut the door.

Peeta's face was pale with shock. Primrose, Katniss' sister, had just seen him half naked, in a towel, sitting on a crate, his legs spread open. He looked down, bending over and trying to replicate the possible angle she might have seen him in, hoping to god he did not just flash his junk at Katniss sister. And then his eyes widened. Had she seen his leg too?

Of course she had. It was impossible not to miss it. He buried his face even deeper into his hands, hoping she wouldn't ask any further.

"I'll just put your clothes here." A small voice squeaked. The door creaked open at a small angle, small enough for a slim hand to deposit the clothes on the floor before tightly closing it shut.

Peeta crawled over to the pile of clothes, grabbing them and holding them against his bare top frame. He leaned against the shut door and muttered through its boards. "How much did you see?"

There was no answer and he wondered if she had left. He was about to go and change when a small voice spoke out from the other side. "Your leg."

So she _had_ seen. He sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. Well it hadn't been the first time someone found out about his leg without his consent. He had always just dismissed it, blaming it on an obscure car accident, and he was about to use the same excuse on Prim before she cut him off.

"It's you isn't it?" Her voice was close. She was leaning against the door as well. He didn't actually know what she was alluding to until she continued. "You were the guy on the bike from that night."

He could have sworn he felt his heart stop at that moment. She _knew_. "I don't know what you're talking about." It was a believable reply. After all, he had only found out himself not long ago, but Peeta's voice wasn't very convincing. How in the world did she know?

"I don't remember exactly." She started. He strained to hear her soft voice through the door's thickness. "But when I saw my sister in your arms earlier, I thought you looked familiar." That explained her scrutinizing glare. "And then your leg-"

"I lost it in a car accident." He said simply against the door. It was partially true. It just wasn't his accident per se.

"No you didn't." She seemed sure of her assumption now. "I saw you on that hospital bed. I was so young I barely even remember, but I know it's you." Her voice was shaky. "They said I couldn't see you, but I couldn't _not_ see you. I needed to thank you. You saved my sister." There was a pause, and Peeta didn't deny her claim. "When I snuck into your room, a doctor told me you'd lost your leg." Peeta was sure she was crying now, her shallow breaths clear even through the door that separated them. "You saved my sister, and you didn't even know her."

"But it wasn't enough." He finally said, bitterness running through his voice. He realized he was in tears himself. It really wasn't, even to him. What more for the two girls who he had deprived a father from. There was a long pause, and Peeta wished she'd say something. Tell him he was right, or wrong. He didn't know how to handle it any longer.

"Those clothes were my father's." Was all she said. He heard her frame brush on the door. "Take care of them."

He heard her footsteps as she left and he couldn't stop himself from collapsing against the door, tired of it all.

* * *

When Peeta walked back into the living room there was lively chatter and a voice that he didn't recognize scolded Haymitch on his table manners, or lack thereof. He was greeted by an older woman who bore a strong resemblance to Prim, sitting by Haymitch on the table.

"Oh Maysilee, darling, tell Haymitch to get his elbows off the table, he won't listen to a darned thing I say." She turned to Prim, clasping her by the arm, frowning.

"It's me, mom. Prim. Not Aunt Maysilee." She just smiled as she placed the rest of the food on the table and nudged Haymitch to do as she had said, earning herself a growl.

This was Deborah Everdeen, Joseph Everdeen's wife. He had only seen her a handful of times, once in an earlier music video of the band, and other times in various magazines and interviews, not to mention the cover of their earliest album. It was safe to say that time had not changed her much and the same could be said about her mind. She was perpetually stuck in a time long past.

Peeta turned to the couch to see Katniss still asleep. Something tugged on his heart at the sight of her calm face as she slept. She wasn't smiling, but the calmness of her face at least told him that it was a dreamless sleep. 'Better than nightmares.' He thought as he was getting used to the tugging feeling that somehow always came with seeing her vulnerable.

"Oh, there's a young man in our living room! Maysilee call the police!" Peeta looked up to see a Mrs. Everdeen's shocked expression as she pointed to Peeta, obviously alarmed at an unfamiliar face. Prim just gave him a stiff smile before she softly pushed her mother's pointing finger down and explaining to her in a gentle voice.

"Don't worry mom, that's Katniss' friend." She used the term, unsure if it was an accurate way to describe him. _Was_ he even friends with Katniss? Not really. It was more like she tolerated him for the sake of work, and even then, things still got screwed up. What else could she have said? Savior? Workmate with a bad attitude? The guy whose bike she trashed the first day they'd met? He doubted any of those descriptions would bide well with Katniss' distraught mother. _Friend_ it was then.

"'Bout time you got out of there. What'd you do, invent the cure for cancer while you were in there boy?" Haymitch laughed at his own humor. Peeta felt it left something to be desired.

"Isn't he much too old to be friends with Katniss?" She looked worriedly at Prim. Peeta discerned that Mrs. Everdeen's memory of Katniss apparently did not register her as the broken mess she was now.

"Katniss is twenty-seven now, mom." Prim was very patient dealing with her mother and Peeta wondered just how much growing up it had taken her to be properly able to handle a mother with Alzheimer's, her father's death and her sister's issues.

"Oh, right." Was all Deborah could let out, still having trouble processing the information. "Well have a seat dear. We're about to have dinner." She patted the seat beside her, waving him to come over.

"Lunch, mom." Prim laughed. "Lunch."

"Lunch, dinner, what's the difference if all you're feeding me is this tasteless rubbish every day?" She huffed. "At least Haymitch gets to eat steak. I'm stuck with blanched vegetables."

Peeta reluctantly walked over to the table, his eyes lingering on Katniss, worried if she'd be hungry by now. It had occurred to him that Katniss wasn't really one for eating her meals, and nobody seemed to give it a second thought. He took a seat next to the older woman and bowed his head slightly at the intrusion.

"Why are all the curtains closed? It's uncomfortably dark in here." Deborah asked in the middle of lunch, obviously not aware that their house had now become a public spectacle to the press.

"The doctor called and said you couldn't be too exposed to direct sunlight." Prim thought on her feet. It was complete bullshit, but she couldn't think of a better way to explain the reporters who now camped out on their yard.

"Oh, so now I'm to be kept in a cave? What am I, some sort of vampire?" Deborah asked incredulously. 'I suppose next he's going to ask you feed me raw meat and put me in a coffin!"

Haymitch laughed. "Relax and eat your vegetables, 'ya old coot." He teased the woman while taking a particularly large bite of his steak. He seemed to be at ease with the woman, and Peeta began to wonder if she had forgotten about her husband as well.

"Peeta, can I talk to you in private?" Prim asked when her mother was too distracted with how to manage her food. He nodded and followed her out the room.

"Those reporters-" He began, nodding his head in the direction of their front door.

"They arrived here midnight." She continued for him, recounting the ensuing chaos. "They came by, asking if I had anything to say about my father's death or when he started abusing alcohol or if he had hurt us when we were kids. There were so many questions, I panicked."

Peeta nodded, remembering her call. "Snow must have sent them." He muttered to himself. Prim scowled at the mention of his name. "He was blackmailing her this entire time." He met Prim's gaze to see that her eyes were questioning, obviously starved for the details. "We were supposed to remake some of your father's songs for an album for Snow."

Prim's eyes widened. "Katniss told me to come back here two days ago. Told me to make sure my mom hadn't signed any documents." She started putting two and two together. "My mom had said an old friend had come over to talk, but I never thought it would be Snow."

Peeta furrowed his brows. "What do you mean 'old friend'?"

"Snow knew my father long before the band had gotten together." She sighed as she explained. "He was always trailing behind him, and when the band formed, he wanted to be their manager, but he was more of a groupie than anything." Peeta nodded for her to go on. "The band went big without him, and for awhile, he never even talked to my dad. Only time we heard back from him was when mom was diagnosed and dad asked for his help. Things started going downhill from there."

Peeta had understood. Snow had taken advantage of Mrs. Everdeen's sickness even then, and he did it again, this time to get the rights to Joseph's songs. He was a sick man.

"I've always hated that man." Prim gritted her teeth. "He was always talking behind my father's back. Always talking shit about my sister too."

And now here he was, CEO of a huge entertainment company and now owner of the rights to all of Joseph Everdeen's songs, the tables now turned in his favor. It all seemed very fishy to Peeta.

"Does Katniss know about this?" Peeta asked, his expression now grave.

"I doubt it." Prim crossed her arms. "Doubt she'd even be working for him if she had. The only reason I know is because Snow always thought I was too stupid to notice." She shrugged. "He has this thing about blondes."

That, Peeta also understood, what with Snow's son being one of the daftest blondes in the business. It was probably why he didn't of Peeta as a threat either.

"Katniss was trying to protect you." Peeta started recounting his side of the entire ordeal. "She didn't even want to have anything to do with the stupid album. I was just too caught up in my fanatics to give it any thought."

"But then why did she-"

"My guess is that Snow threatened to reveal the details of your father's breakdown. Maybe even add some of his own made-up bullshit to stir up controversy, and now he has, and it's entirely my fault." Peeta clenched his jaw as he swallowed. "If I hadn't walked out, or if I had at least brought her back after she ran out, none of this would have happened. All over a stupid list of songs."

Prim laid her hand on his shoulder, bringing him back. "It wasn't your fault." Prim assured him. "Whatever made Katniss run out of there is a good enough reason. She doesn't do things on a whim." Peeta wouldn't look at her. "We can't all run away from this forever." She insisted. "Maybe we can call Gale, he could help us."

Peeta shook his head. "Gale's with Snow on this one."

"How? That can't be. He's always hated Snow."

"Apparently not anymore." Peeta spat out bitterly. "When Katniss was getting frantic, he didn't even lift a finger. He knew about the blackmail, and he did nothing."

"There must be something." Prim felt betrayed, and there was an uneasy feeling she just couldn't shake off.

Before they could discuss any further, a slight stirring from the couch caught their attention. Katniss was getting up.

"Kat." Prim approached her sister and helped her sit up. Katniss held her hand to her head as she rubbed, the gravity of twelve hours of sleep hitting her like a ton of bricks. She winced when she felt the pressure on her wounds and looked confused at the bandages that wrapped her hands tightly.

"Prim!" She grabbed her sister's face in her hands immediately as she saw her, stroking her cheek, making sure she was really there. "Oh god, what happened? Are you okay? How did I get here?" She looked around the living room to make sure of her current location.

Her eyes settled on the Peeta who stood watching the two sisters, not entirely sure what to do now that she was awake. "Hi." When it came to Katniss, he really had a way with words.

"You." Katniss narrowed her eyes at him.

"He brought you here when you-" Prim hesitated. Katniss looked at her bandaged hands and a look of recollection crossed her face. "Let's just say you passed out. Haymitch helped him get you here."

Peeta rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. In the back of his head he was thankful she was now awake, but a small part of him knew that now that she was, he'd have difficulty dodging the scolding she would inevitably subject him to. But it didn't come.

"I don't need your pity." She gulped, thinking back to where their conversation had left off. Had she actually blacked out long enough for him to take her here? "No matter what happened back there, I don't need you to protect me. I can handle this on my own."

Haymitch and her mother now stood up to see what all the commotion was about.

"He needs to leave, Prim." She muttered decisively after awhile, propping her up and scooting her legs off the edge of the couch. Haymitch ushered Deborah to her room, sensing the animosity. He didn't want the poor lady more distraught than she already was. When nobody else showed any sign of making Peeta leave, Katniss stood up. "Why aren't you leaving?" She asked Peeta, more anger in her voice. "You think I need your charity! You think I need your pity!"

Ah, there it was. Peeta winced at her scolding, not expecting it to be this harsh, but nonetheless, he remained steadfast in his place.

"Katniss, calm down." Prim tried to push the livid Katniss back to her seat, to no avail. "He can't leave, there are reporters everywhere."

Katniss shifted in her stance, not wanting to have to concede. "Call Snow." She said finally. "Tell him I'll do whatever he wants. Just make him send them away."

"Katniss, no." Prim shook her sister, both of her hands grasping her firmly by the arms. "You're not doing that. Who knows where he'll stop if you let him have his way. You don't have to do this. It's not what dad would have wanted." Katniss scowled at the mention of the familiar words that had now escaped her sister's mouth. Peeta had told her the same thing. "Katniss, you can't do this on your own."

"And you don't have to." Peeta offered, not sure how it would help, but he felt the need to let her know she wasn't alone in this. She was obviously very angry at him, and he couldn't blame her. He doubted Snow would have gone so far if he hadn't run out after her, but inside, he didn't regret it. He knew now what that man was capable of and in a matter of hours, he had gotten to know Katniss and the reason for her guardedness. Most of all, it pained him to now know that he was inadvertently the cause of all of it. The only thing he knew is that he had made a promise to her father, and Katniss be damned if she took that away from him. Whether she knew it or not, fate had somehow brought them together, and he'd be helping her with or without her consent.

"But then what else can I do?" Katniss was suddenly out of breath, weighing her options. "If I don't, Snow's going to spit on dad's grave. And then what?" Her eyes were trained into nowhere, unfocused and it took all her strength not to let her tears fall. "All I have to protect is his name. What else do I have? I've already caused him his life Prim. I don't want him to have to lose even that."

"Maybe he doesn't have to." Haymitch walked back into the room suddenly, his face bright and expectant, despite the atmosphere. Katniss stared at him, unbelieving.

"And do you propose we achieve that?" Prim asked the question on everybody's mind.

"Well, Miss Pouty over here can start by ditching the whole 'loathing in self-pity' act. If you ask me, it's getting really old." Haymitch addressed Katniss with no reservation.

Peeta was appalled at the man's insensitivity. "Haymitch, don't you think you're going a little too far with-"

"Lemme finish." Haymitch shushed the boy with a glare. "Bread boy and Goldilocks are right." The next few words that came out of his mouth were unexpected. "Snow won't just stop at making a mockery of old Joe's name. He won't settle 'til he's completely destroyed him." Haymitch had stated the words with such certainty it drove shivers down Katniss' spine. "And it won't help if you go all boo-hoo on us now, sweetheart."

Katniss bit back her sobs and wore a hardened face. If there was anything she hated more than Snow at this moment, it was looking weak, and Haymitch knew just how much it affected her when he called her out on it. "And what do you suppose we do then?"

"We all know Snow's got us running 'round in circles." Haymitch starts, looking particularly pleased with himself for getting through to the girl. "He was gonna release an album and make money out of old Joe, probably usin' the money to fuel some of his other more devious plots. Let's face it. Blackmail or not, Joe's dirty past was gonna come out some day, even Joe admitted that. Snow was gonna reveal it either way." Haymitch shrugged. "But now that Snow's played his hand and the whole world knows about your father's not-so-peachy past and other illicit activities, he's pretty much ruined his own plan. No well in hell is an album of his gonna sell now." He turned to Peeta and raised his flask in a mock toast. "I guess we have you to thank for that, pumpernickel."

Leave it to Haymitch to come up with the oddest bread-related nicknames and spin a totally horrible situation into an advantage. "I still don't know where you're going with this, Hay." Prim stood, frowning more noticeably at the man's nerve.

"It ain't gonna sell. He's got no more cards to play. He's got nothin' on us now." He said slowly, hoping one of them would catch on. When none of them did, he silently cursed their generation for being slower than a pack mule on drugs.

"Yeah, nothing except that now everybody thinks Joseph Everdeen was an alcoholic and a bad father." Peeta was starting to get impatient and highly doubted the man's sanity. "We've got no moves, Haymitch. The cat's out of the bag. We can't fix anything."

"Aha! That's where you're wrong boy." Haymitch clapped his hands together, certainly looking more excited than he intended to be. "I didn't say anythin' about fixin' a damn thing. That boat's long sailed away. What we _can_ do is _redeem_ the ole' bastard." It made Katniss uncomfortable hearing Haymitch calling her father a bastard, despite having heard him call the entire band bastards long before.

"How are we gonna _redeem_ him, Haymitch? We don't have anything left." Katniss asked, the entire proposal now sounding preposterous to her.

"You talk like you don't know your own father." Haymitch huffed. He was sincerely hoping they'd take it better than they were now.

"Joseph Everdeen was more than the press made him out to be. He was then, he is now, and he probably will be in the future – _more _than what people think him to be." He straightened himself up and looked at all of them solemnly. "There are always two sides to the story, prob'ly even more. Snow wants people to think Joe was a lowlife with nothin' left to give but music of a lost generation. But we know him better than that." He paused. "To us, he was more than just a musician. He was a father, a friend, a husband, an inspiration, and he was damn good at bein' all those, if you ask me. His music changed lives. Even at his lowest, he got up and straightened himself out. For _you_." He stared Katniss down intently at his words. "You know that, Kat. We all know that. You've just been too busy tryin' to forget, when what you really needed to do was try and remember. And now that you have, problem is, no one got up and told the rest of the world."

There was silence in the room as Haymitch's words ran through their minds. Like it or not, his words had struck a chord, and all three of them couldn't help but think back to the times Joseph Everdeen was every inch and more of what Haymitch had described. What he said was all true, hard to admit, but true.

"You're right." Katniss finally said. "And it's going to stay that way, isn't it? Unless we do something." She didn't want to forget. Not anymore.

Peeta nodded, amazed that Haymitch actually had it in himself to be inspiring. He could be quite convincing if he wanted to be. The man was full of surprises. He shouldn't have expected less from someone a man like Joseph deemed worthy to be among his circle of friends. "So what do you have in mind?"

"I say we beat Snow at his own game." He cracked his knuckles in suppressed anticipation. "Let's release an album. Not just any album – an album that's both Joe's, and our own. Forget the shit they say about old Joe. We'll make them remember all the good he's done instead. Knock the fuckin' socks off their feet and make 'em sorry they ever put him in a bad light. Joe fought his wars with music, so will we."

"I'm in." Peeta said, suddenly invigorated. Haymitch wasn't one for words, but when he spoke, he packed a punch. "Joseph Everdeen changed my life." He paused, looking at Katniss from the corner of his eye. "More than once."

"I'm in too." Prim joined in, suddenly giddy. For once, she felt like she was treated like an adult, actually having a say on an issue that counted. "Though I'm not sure how much I can offer. I was never as musically gifted as dad or Kat."

"That's fine, every hand counts if we're gonna make this work." Haymitch turned to Katniss. "It's all on you, sweetheart."

Katniss turned to each of the people in the room and she reveled at how one man had meant so much to each of them. She had spent the past few days remembering her father, more than she would have liked and when she thought back on all those instances, the only memories that came back to her were how much of good person he had been. Not once had her memories made him out to be a bad influence and she realized, the only thing stopping her from continuing his legacy was her inability to forgive herself for something that happened ten years ago. She had been running away from it for herself, not for her father or anyone else. It made her feel ashamed. Haymitch was right, she was weak. But not for the reasons she had first thought. She would be selfish to deny her father his redemption, and for the first time in years was going to do something that would live up to his name.

"I'm in."

"That a girl! I knew you'd do your old man proud." Haymitch jumped up and pumped his fist in glee at her answer, gathering the two Everdeen sisters into a large hearty embrace and Peeta thought it was impossible to see an even happier Haymitch than he saw now. He found it hard to believe that Katniss had ever thought the man hated her. Looking at him now, he held nothing but love for the two girls. He almost felt a bit out of place until Katniss pulled him in for the hug as well.

The warmth that enveloped him was all-encompassing, and for once, he felt like he belonged somewhere, like he was part of something bigger than he was. He had always thought he'd live his life chasing after a dream that his idol once dreamed and he thought he'd achieve that by working as close as he possibly could to his idol's work. Well, nothing could get closer to that than this, being involved in a project to personally exonerate Joseph Everdeen with his two daughters and his best friend. This was everything he could have hoped for, and then some. But as he felt the warmth of the body beside him as her arms pulled him closer against her frame, he knew that what he really wanted was right here, and that this was where he belonged, and he suddenly found himself hoping for more.

Prim was the first to pry herself out of the group embrace, reasoning that Haymitch had yet to take a bath and reeked of year-old cheese, but Katniss and Peeta found it hard to let go. With an arm around each others' form, they couldn't help at smile at the development. They were allies now. Two people fighting for the same cause, and it had brought them closer together. There was no longer any reason for Katniss to resent the man she now leaned herself on. He wasn't doing this out of pity. He was doing this for her father, and because he wanted to. For Peeta, it was something more – a promise, a dream, and possibly, love.

"I've gotta make some calls." Haymitch now paced excitedly back and forth in the living room. "But first we got to get those motherfuckin' reporters off the lawn." He turned to Katniss. "You up for an impromptu press conference?"

"What? Who? Me?" Her eyes darted through the room in search of a scapegoat, but who was she kidding, it had to be her. "I can't."

"Why the hell not?" Haymitch shifted his weight to one leg, tapping his fingers as he crossed his arms.

"Well for one thing-" Prim came to her defense. "She looks like she hasn't taken a shower in a week." Katniss pouted. It had only been a day. "Heck, Haymitch, you haven't taken a shower in a month, tops." Prim walked over to Katniss, pushing her with both hands by the small of her back in the direction of the nearest bathroom, effectively releasing her from Peeta's one-armed embrace. "I agreed to this, but only if you all keep your butts squeaky clean. I refuse to work with people who reek worse than garbage bins." Katniss looked hurt at her words, but she knew they were true. She did feel a bit funky underneath her clothes. "And damnit Haymitch, her hands haven't even healed yet. If she goes out there, people will more likely be curious about her hands than what we have to say."

"Fine, 'ya pussies." Haymitch turned around to leave, but Prim caught him by the collar.

"Oh no, you don't." with Haymitch by the collar and Katniss being directed sheepishly, Prim turned to Peeta. "Get this man to bathe, will you?"

"Gladly." Peeta laughed as he complied, wrapping a strong arm around Haymitch's waist and actually hauling him up over his shoulder. It wasn't easy, but it was manageable. The two girls stood and stared at him, surprised he was even that strong. After an entire hour's trek with Katniss in his arms, a few meters' walk with this lug was nothing. "C'mon Haymitch, let's get you decent. Don't want the two pretty ladies running off at the stench of you." The old man struggled against Peeta's grasp, kicking and screaming profanities as he was lugged away. Katniss and Prim laughed at the scene, which looked ridiculous, even to them.

"Looks like this is actually happening." Katniss mumbled to herself, releasing a long pent-up sigh. It was the feeling of relief that surrounded her now, as if an entire burden was lifted off her shoulders. "What do you think dad would have thought? You know, if he were here."

"He'd be really proud." Prim smiled as she wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her away.

* * *

**Notes:** So yeah, awesomesauce in the making, yo. THIS was the story I was originally going to write. My original three-shot that I had planned out revolved mainly on the musical production of this album they're about to make, so it was going to have a little of a _Music and Lyrics_ type feel to it. But somewhere along the way, these amazing ideas came out of nowhere and **Music and the Beast** became so much more than I had intended it to be. I'm really thankful for those who were with me in the development of this story, and I'm in it for the long haul now.

Haymitch has always been one of my favorite characters, along with Finnick, so being able to write for him in so many dimensions in this fic is absolutely amazing for me. I have so much fun spinning him in different lights, and he's such a father figure in my mind, it almost hurts. I really hope this chapter was able to showcase that. He's a genius in disguise, he is.

There's a lot more going on now than ever, and Snow doesn't know what's gonna hit him. Rest assured that the conflict doesn't end here, and there is much more to come.

Again thanks to all those who reviewed. There are so many of you who've added this to their alert list, and I'd love to hear from you some time in the reviews!

**ALSO! **I've looked through some of my subscribers and A LOT of you have some AWESOME stories. If you have any recommendations (your stories or other people's stories) PLEASE LET ME KNOW if you'd like me to plug them and/or read them myself.

**And now for the Reader Pop Quiz. **

**Where did Haymitch leave his shoes?**

**Post your answer along with your review for an extended preview of the next chapter.**

_**Chapter 6: Redemption**_

_There were no words for how nervous Katniss felt at this moment. The dull pain that remained in her hands from relatively fresh wounds as she clenched her firsts in anticipation was the only thing keeping her head from floating up into nowhere, and as Haymitch began drilling her on what and what not to say, she barely registered a thing. She was going to do this. She was going to get up, and address all her issues. _

_In front of hundreds of reporters._

_With cameras._

_Cameras that would broadcast her failed attempts at a press conference to the entire nation._

_Probably the world._

_She felt sick._

**Read, Review and Subscribe!**


	6. Redemption

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 7, 303 words

Warnings: Corny Bread-related humor, Cinna and Peeta bromance, Haymitch being Haymitch.

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As usual, I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed last chapter and added this story to their alerts and favorites list. You guys are awesome, and I received some particularly encouraging reviews this time around. You guys really know how to put a smile on my face.

A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally,** Team Haymitch FTW**,** KinnaFatniss**,** Anonymous**, **GIFtoJPG**, **Chrysalis**_, _and**Cannoli**.

Congratulations also to those who answered the **Reader Pop Quiz** correctly in their reviews and got a chance to see an **extended preview** of this chapter, **TheBlackMagicRose**, **Skouli**, **DandelionOnFire**, **Kamil the Awesome**,** Nilrecurring**, and **Lost Gray Soul**. Scroll down to see the rest of the chapter you haven't already read (or read from the start to see some non-major revisions I've made).

Sorry for the day-late update. I was on vacation and didn't have access to the net so I couldn't update as soon as I wanted. A lot of the dialogue surrounding Katniss' speech in this one is iffy, because I couldn't get as in to it as I did when it was Haymitch. Haha I am obviously biased, I know. I'm going to be re-introducing some of the characters I included in this chapter and the next, and hopefully some of the others as well soon, so yay!

Anyway, enjoy the read!

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**Chapter 6: Redemption**

There were no words for how nervous Katniss felt at this moment. The dull pain that remained in her hands from relatively fresh wounds as she clenched her firsts in anticipation was the only thing keeping her head from floating up into nowhere, and as Haymitch began drilling her on what and what not to say, she barely registered a thing. She was going to do this. She was going to get up, and address all her issues.

In front of hundreds of reporters.

With cameras.

Cameras that would broadcast her failed attempts at a press conference to the entire nation.

Probably the world.

She felt sick.

She turned around, intending to run the hell out of there until two pairs of strong arms held her back by both her arms, restraining her so effectively that her feet were no longer even on the ground. She hung there like laundry out to dry, with a dejected look on her face. "I'm not sure I can do this."

"Aw, sweetheart, of course you can." Haymitch comforted her sarcastically. "Just imagine yourself talkin' to the reporters as you would be to that metrosexual client of yours. You know the one – tone-deaf, pretty boy with a mouth like a trout. Think his name was Gay-to?"

If it had been anyone else, Peeta would be appalled at the use of the word 'gay' as an implied insult, but when it came to Cato, Peeta just laughed. Haymitch was getting better at this. When his humor wasn't aimed at his expense, he found he could actually enjoy it. Either that or he just had an undeniable bias against the man who had once held Katniss' affections, albeit purely out of manipulation. "He's right Katniss. Just wing it and be yourself, I'm sure you'll be fine." He let his grasp on her loosen as her feet settled onto the ground. Haymitch on the other hand, wasn't taking any chances as he held her firmly in place.

"I don't think you know this, but I haven't been myself for at least seven years." Katniss rolled her eyes at Peeta. Peeta had no idea what she was talking about and she decided it was best he never found out. How was she supposed to explain her fake marriage with Gale anyway? Shaking the thoughts out of her head she continued in her defense. "And that's easy for both of you to say since you're all so spontaneous and chatty and good with words. All I know how to do is force appointment schedules and work out the best deals."

Peeta just gawked at her with a look of disbelief. Had Katniss really thought he was good with words? The last time Peeta checked, his mind refused to work around her, and he could only imagine what crap his mouth managed to throw up in the past day. Haymitch he could understand, but even then he was only such a great speaker when he wasn't drunk and was instead monumentally inspired. He decided that with the two of them held as Katniss' ideals for public speaking, she was essentially screwed. But he wouldn't tell her that.

"Oh sheesh Katniss." Prim came to her rescue, returning after putting their mother to bed after her medication. "Haymitch's speech back then wasn't even that great." Prim laughed. "You'd know if you were there, but he practically docked the entire thing from dad's eulogy."

Haymitch nudged the blonde girl and huffed. "Just did what I had to do. Personally, I think my delivery was better." Peeta laughed at their exchange then turned to Katniss. She wasn't receiving it quite as well as he was.

"Yeah. I wouldn't know because I wasn't there." Her eyes looked sad, intent on focusing on nothing in particular on the ground and Peeta noted Prim's face as she mentally scolded herself for her lack of tact. Just as Peeta raised his hand in an aim to comfort her, Katniss' eyes shot up, a look of determination now adorning her face. "I owe him so much." She furrowed her eyes in concentration. "I need to do this." She chanted. "I _will_ do this." She straightened herself up. "I'm going to do this."

"Hell yeah! Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Haymitch wrapped an arm around her and shook her encouragingly. "You can do this!"

"Yes I can!"

"You can do this!" Haymitch chanted.

Yes I can!" Katniss was getting revved up.

"You're doing this!" Haymitch returned.

"Yes I am!" She replied, caught up in the excitement.

"Well, you said so yourself." He didn't leave Katniss anytime to decipher what in the world was happening when he opened the front door and pushed her out of it abruptly.

They were greeted with flashes, cameras and what seemed to be millions of questions at once. Katniss turned her face away from the intrusive light that blurred her vision, squinting and covering her face reflexively. Haymitch and Peeta, who stood behind her, couldn't help but do the same.

"Are you Miss Katniss Everdeen!"

"What do you have to say about your father's problem with alcohol!"

"Are the charges on domestic violence true!"

"There are rumors that Joseph Everdeen has had multiple affairs with acclaimed actresses. What do you have to say about this!"

"Are the hidden subliminal messages in your father's music true!"

"Damn these guys are annoyin'." Haymitch mumbled to himself before stepping up in front and shouting in an earsplitting voice. "Will you guys shut the hell up!"

_Silence._

"Well, _thank you._" He bowed with a sardonic smile on his face. "The floor's all yours, sweetheart."

The noise had ceased, but the flashing of cameras was incessant and the faint buzzing in the background made her aware that she was indeed being recorded. She gulped, finally stepping forward, her eyes trained to a point far in the distance.

"Hello. My name is Katniss Everdeen." _Flashes_. Squinting, she continued. "I'm sure you all know my father, Joseph Everdeen." She paused. "That's why you're all here. You want answers. You want to know the truth. And when you get 'the truth'," She paused, putting emphasis on her last two words, "You all have every intention of sharing them it the world." Her eyes now focused on each and every reporter present, giving them a piece of her gaze, her grey eyes unyielding. "Here it is then."

She took a deep breath and dove right in.

"My father was an astounding musician, so much so that he captured the hearts of an entire generation with his music and his work, and he left a legacy that has since then been forgotten." She spoke with more fervor in her voice. "But before I say anything else, let me ask you this. What exactly _was _Joseph Everdeen to all of _you_ before you received anonymous tips and rumors about his dirty past? I bet you had never even given that much thought, had you? Because to you, he was a musician who had his moments of fame, moments of fame that you all capitalized on at one point or another. And this is no different, is it? Because it's all just a game, and Joseph Everdeen was but a piece for you to exploit."

Her hand shot to her heart, beating it in her passion. "But to his friends, he was a pillar of strength. And to his sincere supporters, a guiding light. But most of all, to me and my family, he was a true hero. Before he was a musician, he was a husband, and before he was famous, he was a father. He had always put his family first. And that is why, when he found out about my mother and her illness, he broke down. He hit his lowest low. He became an alcoholic. He _was_ involved in a lot scandals. And he _did_ make mistakes with serious repercussions." She had everyone's attention now. "But you know what else he was?" Her voice was strained now as she bit back tears. "He was human."

"He made mistakes. I know I have mine too. We all do. Who doesn't? But let me say this." She hoped Snow was watching. "He was better than all of us." She looked into the lens of a camera as if she were looking into Snow's cold unforgiving eyes. "Because what set him apart was once he realized what he had done, he got up and set himself straight. He _never_ stopped being a father to me and my sister, and he _never_ stopped caring for my mother, even after he had fallen so low. The accusations that he had hit us are false. He would _never _ lay a finger on any of us. He wouldn't hurt a fly."

She stepped forward so she was now directly in front of the reporters and in their midst.

"So to answer your questions. Yes, he had problems, but he didn't let his problems define him, and because of that, he will forever be more than what people, or magazines, or reporters make him out to be."

There were hushed murmurs of debate and agreement among those present.

"His music fought for peace, equality, justice, and redemption. It was never about the fame or the fortune. Whatever money my dad had earned, he used for us, not himself, the rest he gave to charity. He has done so much more good than we could have ever hoped to do, and yet here we are focusing on what are but millimeters of bad press compared to the miles of good he's achieved. He led almost his entire life as the most selfless man I know and I refuse to let my father be remembered for the few mistakes that were merely a small part of his existence. I refuse to be a part of these games people play out of ambition, and jealousy."

Her breathing was heavy by this point and Peeta had his eyes trained on her clenched fists, wondering if she had been too caught up in it all to notice they were hurting. But when he looked up at her, in her eyes, there was no pain, or shame, only the fire that he had once thought to be missing. Here, amidst all the reporters, she was glowing, glaringly intense, and there was no person he admired more at this moment, than his idol's daughter, Katniss. Not even Joseph Everdeen, himself.

"And that is why, I've decided, together with my sister, Peeta Mellark and Haymitch Abernathy, former band member of The Mockingjay, that I will be working hard on doing his name justice. With an album – an album dedicated to the moments that mattered, not the moments we choose to acknowledge. That way everybody will know just who exactly Joseph Everdeen was behind what the press made him to be."

As she turned her back to them all, the response was overwhelming. Peeta and Haymitch ran to shield her from the impending chaos, questions on details of the album, who else would be working on it and if Katniss had any intention of getting the band back together. She refused to answer any of them, partially stunned at the fact that she had actually mustered up the nerve to do what she had just done.

As they got the still bewildered girl back into the house, most of the reporters got back into their vans to deliver the details of the scoop they had just gotten. Some lingered to see if they could catch a glimpse of the older Everdeen sister but Haymitch took care of them, shooing them off before they could do any damage.

Once inside, Prim immediately handed Katniss a glass of water as Peeta steadied her on the couch to sit. Haymitch got on the phone, quickly contacting the TV stations and press involved in the conference, drilling them on all the factual details, making extra sure they didn't spin the story in their favor. He had Prim's laptop on standby, sending in manuscripts, details and contracts of discretion. He was an expert at this by now. He had everything planned and Katniss silently thanked him for helping her father look out for her all those years. He wasn't as bad as she had thought.

"Katniss, you were amazing." Prim sat by her and enveloped her in a large hug.

"Was I? Really? I can't remember half of what I said back there. I don't know what got into me." She took a sip of the water she was handed, suddenly noticing the pain in her hands as she clenched and unclenched them. She winced at the pain, but it dissipated as someone took the glass from her and a large hand took her own in his.

"You were more than amazing Katniss. I couldn't have done it better myself." Peeta smiled at her and something about his eyes and his face and his hand in hers made her heart jump. She felt herself tense, but for some reason, Peeta's presence held her together and she couldn't help but give his hand a tight squeeze back.

"Thank you."

"Look at you, crying like a baby. You're a complete mess!" Prim was in tears now too, and Katniss hadn't even noticed she had been crying until her sister had pointed it out. Prim caught her in another embrace and Peeta let her hand go so she could return it this time. "Dad would have been so proud of you Kat."

Peeta got up to give the two sisters some time of their own and headed over to Haymitch who was now struggling with his inbox at the number of inquiries that were coming in. "You need help with that?"

Haymitch grunted, obviously not wanting to admit he needed it but when both his phone and the landline started ringing he had no choice. "Fuckin' technology. Life was easier without it." He glared at the computer before handing it over to Peeta. "I got a draft of everythin' there somewhere. Just send that to anyone who asks. Don't say anythin' unnecessary. Fuckin' piranhas, all of them."

Peeta nodded and laughed as he brought up the folder and attached it to the email before managing the rest of the incoming messages. "You really came through on this one, didn't you?"

Haymitch huffed in between calls. "Been wantin' to do this for a long time. Timin' was never right for poor ole Joe. Been waitin' for Kat to come around for years. Life with the Everdeens ain't so easy." He laughed despite it all.

"I get 'ya." Peeta glanced back at the two girls who now leaned against each other's frames. Yes, the short time he'd spent with them was hell, but it was worth it.

* * *

After the initial chaos had died down, they were finally able to sit down for a game plan. This was it.

"First off, I'd like to congratulate Miss Katniss Everdeen." Haymitch clapped as he leaned against the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table. "'Ya didn't suck as bad as I thought you would. And you gave those damn reporters a run for their money. I think it was probably your face." He cackled at his own humor, enjoying Katniss' less-than-pleased reaction.

"Thanks Haymitch, I'm touched." Katniss nodded at him. She knew this was his way of making her feel valued, as twisted as it may have been.

"Now back to business." Haymitch sat up and clasped his hands together, addressing the three in a more serious manner. "We need a recording studio."

"We could always rent one out." Prim offered. She had her own little notebook and pencil, jotting down minutes and ideas.

"Don't got the money Goldy. And we're in this for the long haul. Can't afford one for that long. We ain't exactly Snow Productions here." He shot her down with almost a hint of an apologetic face, just so she wouldn't throw a fit. Luckily, she didn't as she visibly crossed an item on her notebook out. "Anyone else?"

"Well I had one set up in my apartment back in L.A. Wasn't much, mostly a desktop setup, but it worked for me." Peeta shrugged.

"Too far from here and too close to Snow. We got Deborah to worry about. Don't want a repeat of her little encounter with Snow and we don't want him snoopin' 'round our studio while we work." Haymitch shook his leg impatiently, a habit he had developed after bartenders took way too long serving him his drinks. "Any other bright ideas?"

Katniss frowned into clasped hands as she sat forward. She had an idea, but it wasn't exactly what she would call ideal. "We could always revamp dad's old studio." She paused, waiting for their reactions, but when they didn't come, she continued. "All his equipment's still in the garage, and the room's still here, we'd just need a little bit of furnishing and setup, but everything should still work."

Peeta sat up, thinking her idea wasn't half-bad. 'So that explained the room.' He thought. Haymitch just stared at her, his eyes narrowing.

"Or not." Katniss sat up, puffing her cheeks up and frowning at his scrutiny.

"No, it's a great idea." Haymitch interjected. "Was just makin' sure you were actually Katniss and not some fuckin' alien body-snatchin' spy or somethin'. Last I checked, you tore down that room yourself."

Katniss sighed. "Things are different now Haymitch. This is for dad."

He smiled. "Joe's studio it is then."

Prim wrote the detail down dutifully on her notebook. "I can get some get some extra stuff from friends. Rory would probably help with the lifting."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Haymitch had to stop her. She pouted, being shot down the second time in a row. Haymitch was starting to feel guilty. "Gale's a liability right now. We don't know what the heck that boy's thinkin', dealin' with Snow. His brother might rat us out."

"Rory would never-" Katniss laid a hand on her sister's lap, calming her down as she shook her head.

"We can't risk it Prim."

Prim sat back down and breathed in a deep breath before conceding. "I guess the Undersees will have to do then? Madge is pretty buff." Prim laughed.

"Knock yourself out." Haymitch had forgotten when Prim had become such a team player. He smiled and readied himself for the next order of business. "Next on the list – Manpower."

Katniss raised a brow up at him. "Manpower? What do you mean manpower?"

"Oh sweetheart, you didn't think it would be just us, did you?" He sat back, opening his arms up in a gesture of disbelief.

"Why _can't_ it be just us?" She asked as she stood up, her eyebrows furrowing. She wasn't angry, but she wasn't ecstatic at the idea either. She didn't exactly want to share something so precious as an album dedicated to her father with people whom she didn't know or who didn't even appreciate Joseph Everdeen the way he deserved. "I mean, we've worked so well together so far, I just-"

Peeta couldn't help but feel for the girl in front of him. She had already made leaps and bounds compared to where she was before, not even allowing herself to feel or remember. He couldn't blame her for not being able to let her guard down so easily, especially to people she couldn't even trust. It was a miracle she even trusted him at this point. Surely Haymitch didn't expect her to open up that easily.

"Relax sweetheart." Haymitch tried to assure her. "I'm not gonna push anythin' you ain't ready for on 'ya." She sat down at his words. "But I'm tellin' ya. This album ain't gonna make itself. When Snow had us workin' on his, he had a team of publicists, writers, composers, producers, featured artists and contributors doin' his bidding. We're already stretchin' our limits here."

Katniss nodded.

"So I'll tell 'ya what." He sat back into his seat and swirled a glass of his latest alcoholic concoction in his hand while he addressed her. "How 'bout 'ya give this teamwork thing a shot. I've got a list of names here for 'ya. Some of them, you might've even heard of before." He handed her the paper and she took it reluctantly, scanning through the names. Her eyes widened at a few familiar ones – names that she knew herself. She had to clasp a hand to her mouth to prevent a joyful sob from escaping her lips.

"Are these-?" She managed to let out.

"That's the list of people willin' to help us in this endeavor. Personally, I hate almost each and every one of them, but really, I don't get along with _people_ in general. Heard they were pretty reliable though. And big fans of your father, some of them even fans of _you_. But I'm sure you know that already." He smirked, seeing the recognition in her face. "Not everyone's out to get 'ya sweetheart."

_Ding dong_

They all turned to the door, on the other side of which small shuffling noises of feet could be heard.

"That should be some of them right now." Haymitch made a move to stand up to get the door and Katniss followed soon after, partially angry that she had no prior say on this, but as she held her breath anticipating the faces behind the door, she really didn't have it in her to care.

'It couldn't be.'

"Cinna!" The all too familiar face had Katniss running uninhibitedly into the older man's arms, barely allowing him a step into the door before her small form collided with his. "I can't believe it." She buried her face into his chest. It was almost too good to be true.

As the two had their exchange, Haymitch rushed the rest of the lot in, not wanting to risk the possibility of being watched.

"Hang in there, Kat." He laughed as her grasp around his neck tightened. He was barely able to settle her dangling feet to the ground as his company cleared their throats to make their presence known.

Peeta and Prim had stood up to survey the company and Prim had recognized a few of them from award shows and interviews. There were no words to describe her other than she was star struck. Peeta, however, couldn't help but frown at Katniss' familiarity with the man who dressed all too much like a minimalistic hipster.

Katniss released her friend from her tight embrace to be met with the warm smiles of his company. "These are?" She began. She knew by their familiar faces that they had once worked for Snow and her guardedness told her she shouldn't have been so quick to accept them, but her years with Cinna had told her that he was a good, if not perfect, judge of character. So much so that he had seen past her hard exterior and actually chose to befriend her himself. She trusted Cinna, and anyone Cinna trusted, she would learn to trust as well.

"This is Portia." He introduced the tall woman with large captivating eyes and uncharacteristically blonde hair that stuck out in contrast to her sandy skin. The planes of her face shimmered at her flattering use of makeup and her figure was accentuated by her stylish dress. She couldn't help but glance back and forth between her and Cinna, speculating if there was anything between them. Before Katniss could jump into any conclusions, Cinna continued. "She's my sister." He laughed. "And she also happens to be an artist and photographer."

Portia took her in for a warm embrace, already feeling close enough to the young Everdeen to hug her. Katniss didn't resist. She felt sincere and friendly. "I've been a fan of your father for so long." She explained to Katniss as she released her from her embrace and took both hands into hers. "My professor did your father's fifth album's cover art and introduced me to his work. I was never one for music, but Cinna here practically drowned us with his songs. I, on the other hand was a fan of the symbolism in a lot of their album's art. I was impressed to find out he conceptualized all of it."

Katniss nodded and she appreciated the woman's attention to detail, similar to how her father had always been. His fondness for symbolism in his music and art made him a philosopher in his own right.

Cinna seemed to be enjoying the fact that she was getting along well with his sister. Katniss had always known Cinna was a fan of her father and at times when he incessantly fanboyed about his music, she would leave the room and avoid the topic, not wanting to remember. Over time, Cinna had just assumed she had cultivated a dislike for the musician and made no moves to discuss it further, lest it endanger their friendship. Looking back at it now, she felt guilty for withholding her identity from him the entire time she had known him, but she had never once even thought that he might have known all this time.

"And of course, you know Flavius, Venia and Octavia." Cinna introduced the three that always seemed to move in a group. Katniss had remembered them very well due to the outlandish styles they used to sport for fun whenever they took on different project. "They're going to be in charge of marketing and publicity. Rest assured, I've personally drilled it into their heads that maximum discretion is to be maintained while working on this project. I know how these three can be."

They all just laughed to themselves, obviously aware of their reputation for being blabbermouths. They all took turns shaking her hand vigorously, overly enthusiastic and generally giddy. They all seemed sincerely dedicated to the project's success and never once had Katniss thought that these three would end up here, but as they each recounted their stories of admiration and the inspiration they had drawn from her father and his work, she couldn't help but smile and be thankful for the legacy that her father had left.

She turned back to Cinna her eyes appreciative and humbled. "How did you-" She turned to Haymitch, her eyes questioning. "Didn't Snow-?"

"He was going to fire me anyway." Cinna waved his hand off as he rubbed her cheek assuringly. "Saved him some time and quit myself." He turned to the three that now seemed to be craving for attention and validation. "And these three would follow me to the ends of the earth." He laughed as they nodded. Katniss wasn't actually aware of their tight-knit relationship and she silently cursed herself for being so self-absorbed all these years.

"Thanks." She said quietly addressing them all. "I don't know what I've gotten you all into. I'm not even sure we can pay you properly." She looked to Haymitch and he wore a face that basically said, 'Nope, we definitely can't.'

Cinna just laughed. "We're not in this for the money Kat." He wrapped an arm around her and nuzzled his cheek to her hair affectionately. "We're doing this for you."

Caught up in the moment, Octavia led the group in what would be Katniss' second group hug of the day, huddling the newly arrived additions in a tight hug with Katniss' in the center.

Prim shifted on the balls of her feet, biting her nails as she watched what transpired in front of her before breaking down. "Damnit, I want to be in the group hug too!" She ran towards them and huddled herself in, already feeling the closeness and friendship despite not knowing these people at all. That was Prim for you, overly eager, trusting and gung-ho.

Peeta crossed his arms with a smile on his face as he was joined by Haymitch. "All this sappy stuff is making me sick." The older man took a generous gulp from his glass and leaned his frame onto the younger man, wrapping his arm around his shoulder.

"You sure it isn't just the alcohol?" Peeta raised his brow at him before turning back and furrowing his brow at how close Cinna was pressed against Katniss in the tightness of the hug. He fought to maintain a straight face, but Haymitch saw right through him.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist boy." He teased. "Cinna's gay as a rainbow."

While Peeta didn't entirely appreciate Haymitch's analogy, being a supporter of gender equality as Joseph Everdeen once had been, he couldn't help but feel relieved at the revelation, and instead of focusing on how Cinna now had his arms around the small of Katniss' back, he was able to appreciate the new lot of company for what precious people they were to her. They were her _friends_ now, and as a corollary, his.

Haymitch, however, wasn't one for sentimental things.

"Okay people, we've got a lot of work to do and it would please me greatly if you all sat down and calmed the _fuck_ down." He settled down in his seat and started sifting through papers. "Now that we got our behind-the-scenes team together, we only got the band to worry about."

The congregation of people now settled into various seats and tables scattered around the house within earshot of the drunk's professional drawl, the living room not nearly big enough for the lot of them.

Haymitch continued when they had their full attention on him. "Of course we could go with me on bass and Pizza on whatever the hell he specializes in, but I don't think we'd make it on us alone."

Cinna raised his brow. "Pizza?"

Katniss just glared at Haymitch. He was obviously enjoying his new found hobby of coming up with ridiculous bread-related nicknames for the Peeta, who obviously wasn't enjoying it as much.

"It's _Peeta_." Peeta corrected, mustering up a forced smile. If he let Haymitch get to him, he'd only tease him more, he decided. "And I specialize in guitar and keyboard, FYI." He seemed quite pleased with himself.

"I still think it'd be better if we split the instruments up, and even with you around boy, we still need a second string and drums. Probably could do with some brass and synth here and there." Haymitch grunted, disappointed that the nickname he had spent the last few minutes on hadn't gotten the desired effect.

Cinna offered himself up, eager. "I can handle the synthesizer and post-production. I could also generate backup instrumentals if that's what you need."

Katniss nodded in agreement. His work with Cato's singles, despite Cato's obvious lack of talent, was testimony to how well he worked with music as a technician.

Haymitch still didn't look content. "Fine, you go ahead with your fancy-schmancy technology. But nothin' can replace good old-fashioned skills with an instrument and frankly, I don't think the techno-hip-hoppity-hop-dubstep or whatever _crap_ these kids are listening to these days was Joe's _style_."

Cinna laughed at the man who was so blunt, but he didn't take it as a personal hit and instead smiled at his honesty. "How 'bout we bring in old Beetee from back then?" He took a stab at Haymitch, knowing full well as a fan that the two never seemed to get along in interviews. It was an ongoing joke of the whole band dynamic.

Peeta's eyes shot up and he wore a smirk at the ensuing drama. "_Oooooh_. _Burn_." He taunted like a teenage boy, exchanging silent high-fives with Cinna. He felt comfort in no longer being the only hardcore Mockingjay fanboy in the group.

Haymitch wore a grimace at the mention of his old band mate's name. There wasn't anything glaringly wrong with the idea of having him rejoin their old group and he was sure Beetee would be more than willing to give it a shot if it were for Joe's sake, but Haymitch had been avoiding him in the discussion the entire time, hoping nobody would bring him up. They'd actually been really good friends and in reality, it wasn't Beetee Haymitch couldn't stand, but Wiress, his then-girlfriend and now-wife. They were virtually inseparable during the latter days of the band and they had gotten on Haymitch's nerves when Haymitch had caught them making out on the job on more than one occasion. But now that it was up there, he had to concede.

"I'll give him a call." He muttered under his breath.

Cinna laughed. "Make sure to invite his wife. I'd _love_ to meet her."

Peeta could have sworn he'd seen Haymitch give Cinna the finger, but he laughed it off. "That does it for second guitar then. And drums-"

"I may have someone in mind." Katniss let out, deep in thought and obviously in an internal debate with herself as she contemplated the possibility. "But I'm not sure if she'd be willing after all this time."

Prim's eyes widened as Katniss shot her a look searching for approval, and as if she could read her sister's mind, Prim shot up and ran excitedly for her book of contacts. "I'm calling her now!"

Haymitch shot Katniss an inquisitive look and Katniss shrugged lightly. "D'you happen to remember Johanna Mason?"

Haymitch gave her the widest grin he could muster. "Let's get this ball rollin'."

* * *

When all was said and done, they had decided against using the song list they had come up with originally for Snow with much debate and disagreement on Peeta and Katniss' side. They had worked hard on that list and they held it dearly in their hearts. Haymitch hadn't wanted to risk Snow being able to sue them and they had no idea the extent of Snow's malicious deal with Katniss' poor unknowing mother. For all they knew he could have bought the songs right off her, leaving them with no rights for distribution and very much at a disadvantage to Snow.

That left them Joseph's unreleased songs, scraps of compositions and his songs that were considered public domain, all of which Haymitch was now busy digging up from their old apartment and preparing. Cinna had made his way back to LA, to have his equipment moved in supplement to what was already there and the trio of publicists along with Portia had started their plan of attack, making leeway for anything Snow might have had up his sleeve. Prim was busy making numerous calls and gathering up people for the studio setup and all in all, everyone was busy dedicating themselves to Joseph Everdeen and his work.

Which is why Katniss and Peeta found themselves where they were now, rummaging through the remnants of the band's old equipment and stuff in the garage in preparation for the studio setup. Peeta couldn't help but look back on the song list with regret as they did so, thinking now that they'd have to start from scratch. 'What a waste.' He thought. He liked those songs. They were his favorites, and being able to work on them would have been a dream come true. At the same time, he considered the list a memory of his first civil interactions with Katniss and comparing it to right now, with them both sweating side by side in the heat and dim light of the garage as they hauled up crates and crates of equipment and wires, it was hard to believe they had come so far.

Katniss seemed to have gotten over it quickly though, immersed in the fact that either way, she'd do her best to do her father justice. As she lifted a particularly large box of what looked to papers and CDs, she had overestimated her strength and was falling back at the weight of it all until Peeta caught her from behind and supported her arms. She craned her neck up to look at him, both surprised and thankful for his catching her. But as she felt his warm breath on her she became suddenly aware of his proximity and the familiar feel of his shirt.

Peeta could feel the rise and fall of her as she breathed against his chest and he was vaguely aware of how his heartbeat sped up at the smell of her. Peeta held her for awhile before snapping out of it and relieving her of the box and giving her space.

"Those clothes suit you." She said out of the blue, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her hair as she spoke and regained her composure. Peeta settled the box down in front of the door connecting the garage to the house for sorting before turning to look at what he was wearing. "I remember that shirt." She added.

Peeta suddenly felt embarrassed. He was going to apologize for using clothes he knew to be her father's, thinking she would have preferred it if they stayed off a strange man's body, but she interrupted his thoughts with her laugh.

She laughed. Peeta was puzzled. Why was she laughing?

"I'm sorry." She let out between giggles. "That sounded really creepy, didn't it?" She played with her braid as she circled him, scrutinizing him with a meticulous eye, poking him and adjusting his clothes where they had crumpled up. "Yep, it's a perfect fit." She smiled.

"I don't understand." Was all Peeta could say as she looked up at him with a sincere smile.

"Did you know? I used to call that shirt my dad's _itchy_ shirt." She laughed at the memory. "Well, it was more fuzzy than itchy, but that's what I called it. It was so old and used that bits of the cotton were clumping up and giving it a little rough fuzziness." Peeta ran his hands down the side of the shirt and instantly knew what she was talking about. It _was_ kind of fuzzy. She continued. "When I was three, I'd ask my dad to give my piggy back rides and all I ever did was rub my hands repeatedly on his back, loving the shirt's texture. I loved it so much I'd make my mom wash it after every use, just so I'd get to play with it the next day when dad wore it. It got fuzzier and fuzzier after every wash and eventually, my mom just gave up and told me I could use it as a blanket so my father wouldn't have to deal with my incessant need for piggy back rides."

Peeta smiled to himself, imagining a little Katniss curled up against the red shirt that he now wore.

"I didn't want to be such a bother, so I just pretended I was happy cuddling into it in my sleep, when actually I preferred it when my dad was wearing it." She lifted a hand to his shoulder and ran her fingers down his the front of his shirt, feeling the familiar texture of the fabric. It was an innocent gesture, but Peeta gulped as her touch left goose bumps on his skin beneath it. "I don't mind you wearing it if that's what you're worried about. I'm just surprised it's still here."

She gave him a warm smile once again and he offered her what little words his brain could put together in the mushed up state it was. "It makes you think, no matter where people go, they always leave something for you to remember them by."

'That was definitely cheesier than I intended it to be.' He thought, suddenly regretting his words as her brows furrowed all of a sudden. Peeta wondered if he had said something wrong.

"You're right." She said, an edge of realization in her voice. "Peeta, you're a genius!" She gave him a huge hug and an affectionate pat on the cheek before rushing to the house, not giving him a hint of explanation.

He ran after her to find her making her way to her mother's room, accidentally bumping into Prim making calls on the way.

"What the hell, Katniss!" Prim yelled, putting a hand over the receiver so as to avoid confusion with whomever she was with the phone with. When Katniss ignored her, Prim shot a questioning look at Peeta who just shrugged and made his way to follow Katniss.

When he entered Deborah Everdeen's room, Katniss was frantically searching the closets leaving a mess of clothes and shoes in her wake.

"Sorry, Mrs. Everdeen." He excused himself in front of the woman who now seemed to be observing Katniss quizzically and made his way to Katniss' side, dodging flying sweaters and boxes on his way. "What the heck is wrong with you, Katniss?" He scolded, his tone subdued.

She ignored him and called out to her mother. "Mom, do you remember our old book? The one dad left us when he was on tour? It was brown and a bit dingy. You know the one with the songs he used to sing to me and Prim?"

Deborah's face was blank, but at the mention of the book, she smiled warmly, her eyes lighting up in recollection. "Well of course dear. It's right here." Katniss' and Peeta's eyes followed the woman as she made her way to the side of her bed and brought out a large scrapbook from under her pillow. "I've kept it safe and sound."

Katniss ran to her mother and enveloped her in a large hug. "Thank you, mom." She ran her fingers through her mother's short hair appreciatively, the book held tightly in between them.

"Oh Katniss." Katniss had to let her go as she stared at her mother, obviously surprised that the woman had even remembered her. The last time she was able to recognize her was a few years before her father's death.

"Y-you. You remember me?" She asked? Tears now escaping her eyes.

"You look just like your father." Deborah breathed out with a gentle sigh as she wiped the tears off her daughter's cheeks. She gave her daughter a smile, and Katniss beamed at the small hint of awareness that hadn't graced her mother's face in a long while. Her mother handed her the book and Katniss took it and held it tightly against her frame. "Give them hell, kiddo."

Katniss laughed at the odd combination of words that left her mother's lips. She hadn't talked like that since she was a child. She thanked her mother again before finally running out and catching Prim by surprise as she stormed into the living room. She sat down on the couch and laid the book on the coffee table in front of her. Prim's eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" She breathed out at the sight of the book which now distracted her from the conversation she was having on the phone. "I'm sorry but amma have to call you back later." Prim put the phone down and sat on the floor in front of the table, her eyes trained at the book as if it were some kind of artifact.

Peeta sat beside Katniss, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the dusty old book. Katniss flipped its pages gently, revealing pictures, drawings and scraps of news articles. But that wasn't all of it. As her hands flew to scanning the pages, Peeta's eyes widened as with each flip, the book revealed pages and pages of music, lyrics and compositions.

_This was it_. _The odds were now definitely in their favor._

"Prim? Call Haymitch." Katniss slowed down as she dwindled to the last few pages. "Tell him our search is over."

Turning the last page over, she saw a picture of her family and a message in her father's hand writing.

"_You just need to find yourself."_

* * *

**Notes:** **I HAVE A NEW FANFICTION OUT ENTITLED 'LEARN TO FLY'. Check it out!**

I realize now that a lot of this story is _dialogue-driven_ as opposed to _situation-driven_, which makes it monumentally longer than a lot of fics out there despite only very little happening over the span of a chapter, and I apologize for that. Haha. It only occurred to me when I was re-reading my work after reading somebody else's. I don't entirely know if it's a bad thing or not.

Also, the thing about the fuzzy shirt? That is _totally_ me right there. Except it wasn't a shirt, it's my pillowcases (and a few of my older shirts as well, actually). I have these pillow cases which I've kept since I was a child. I don't use them because you know, they're old. But I still wash them regularly and cuddle with them because they're just so damn fuzzy after all the washing. I love it when my shirts get so old that they cotton starts bunching up. It doesn't look very fashionable, but I love it against my skin ahahaha. Lol TMI.

And yeah, for all you who noticed, I changed the chapter title because this one got too long. I decided to split or **Redemption and Reunion**into two chapters, the next one will obviously be **Reunions.** Hahaha.

Again, I'm looking for new stories and fics to read, so go ahead and recommend stuff for me. Thanks for the people who added my story to their communities. I actually found some good reads out of some of them. :D

**Now for the Reader Pop Quiz. **

**What instrument(s) does Peeta specialize in?**

**Post your answer along with your review for an extended preview of the next chapter.**

_**Chapter 7: Reunions**_

"_What is that?" Peeta asked as Katniss flipped the book closed and cradled it in her arms possessively._

"_It's a book my family used to work on." She answered, her eyes glazed in nostalgia as she smiled. She was happy to have found something so precious. She had almost forgotten it existed, and had it not been for Peeta reminding her, she probably would have never even thought to look for it. "It started out as just newspaper clippings of when my dad got interviewed, and then photos of the band and cover art concepts, but then my dad started using it as his personal song book." She lifted the book up to her lips placing a small kiss on it. "He'd try to teach me and Prim how to read music and write lyrics on it." She laughed. "I think some of my old compositions are in here actually."_

"_Oh really now?" Peeta raised his brows at her. "So what exactly did little Katniss have to write about in her music? It must have been very inspired. I'd like to have a look myself." He reached out for the book teasingly, not actually intending to take it but just to gauge her reaction._

_She withdrew from him quickly with a look of utter shock on her face which only piqued Peeta's interest in the book further._

"_Now you've got to show me." He laughed, but she just playfully stuck her tongue out at him._

"_You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands."_

_Peeta raised his hands up at her in surrender, giving in and settling into the couch as he watched Katniss caress the book's cover on her lap. She had finally started opening up to him. Silently Peeta wondered if that would change if she knew that he was the man from that night._

_He shook his head and tried not to think about it._

**Read, Review and Subscribe! I really appreciate you guys' input. It gets me going.**


	7. Reunions

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 6, 676 words

Warnings: UN-BETAed OMG. Puke-y Haymitch, Monkey Johanna and Awkward Massages.

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Like always. I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed last chapter! And so many of you added this and my other story to their alerts and favorites list too! OMGBananas yay!

A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally,** Victors' Secret**, **GIFtoJPG**, **Cannoli**, **KinnaFatniss**, **Tigris** and **Anonymous**.

Congratulations also to those who answered the **Reader Pop Quiz** correctly in their reviews and got a chance to see an **extended preview** of this chapter, **Kel-Vampyre**, **SciFiChik**, **7**,** scoco**, **Skouli**, **DandelionOnFire**, **Kamil the Awesome**,** Nilrecurring**, **CorpseBandit** and **Lost Gray Soul**. Scroll down to see the rest of the chapter you haven't already read (or read from the start to see some non-major revisions I've made).

So I'm aware this chapter is later than it usually is. I'm working on two stories now (I am so very inspired lately), but at the same time I'm also very busy with some commissions for art and graphics so I have multiple deadlines to meet. Plus, I'm getting ready for my trip to Hong Kong two weeks from now, so I've got a lot on my mind. x( Sorry you had to put up with my tardiness. Rawr.

Anyway, enjoy the read!

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**Chapter 7: Reunions**

"What _is_ that?" Peeta asked as Katniss flipped the book closed and cradled it in her arms possessively.

"It's a book my family used to work on." She answered, her eyes glazed in nostalgia as she smiled. She was happy to have found something so precious. She had almost forgotten it existed, and had it not been for Peeta reminding her, she probably would have never even thought to look for it. "It started out as just newspaper clippings of when my dad got interviewed, and then photos of the band and cover art concepts, but then my dad started using it as his personal song book." She lifted the book up to her lips placing a small kiss on it. "He'd try to teach me and Prim how to read music and write lyrics on it." She laughed. "I think some of my old compositions are still in here actually."

"Oh really now?" Peeta raised his brows at her. "So what exactly did little Katniss have to write about in her music? It must have been _very_ inspired. I'd like to have a look myself." He reached out for the book teasingly, not actually intending to take it but just to gauge her reaction.

She withdrew from him quickly with a look of utter shock on her face which only piqued Peeta's interest in the book further.

"Now you've _got_ to show me." He laughed, but she just playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands."

Peeta raised his hands up at her in mock surrender, giving in and settling into the couch as he watched Katniss caress the book's cover on her lap. She had finally started opening up to him. Silently Peeta wondered if that would change if she knew that he was the man from that night.

He shook his head and tried not to think about it.

After a lot of convincing on Peeta's part, Katniss had reluctantly agreed to give him his first look at what they had simply taken to calling _The Book_. She had taken care to meticulously peek at each page before turning it, making sure nothing embarrassing or compromising was on the other side. Peeta found Katniss' shyness about her childhood cute and endearing.

It was definitely a relic to the Everdeen Family, and each page held mementos and tokens of achievements and milestones. Peeta found a song about Katniss' first steps particularly interesting and had to hold her hand down to prevent her from turning the page.

They sat there in silence, admiring Joseph's work and attention to detail for hours. Some of his songs even drew parallels in time to major historical events in history, even those before Katniss was born – the assassination of John Lennon, the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the Tiananmen Square Massacre,the fall of the Berlin Wall, the freedom of Nelson Mandela, the Cold War, the Rwandan Genocide, various advancements in science and genetics, even Joseph's humorous encounters with dealing with the internet. You name it, he wrote about it. All up until the year 2000 when it all just came to a stop.

Peeta had assumed this was when the problems had started, but despite that, the man was amazing.

When Haymitch came in a few hours later it was bordering midnight and the day had been a busy one. He had with him a box filled with what looked to be the band's old scraps.

"Any luck finding anything?" Katniss called from her seat on the couch and Haymitch just grunted in reply, obviously not very pleased with his haul. Katniss laughed. "Don't worry. I don't think we'll need it anyway."

He carelessly placed the box on the dining table which was now covered in boxes of similar nature dug up from the garage. The rest of the band's equipment now sat in random places in the living room, awaiting professional hands to set them up at the studio which was now being repainted and sound-proofed as they sat there.

Haymitch sat down with the two who were now going for their third round of The Book, carefully taping bookmarks on pages they thought were relevant.

"Looks like the Undersees came through." Haymitch gestured with his thumb back to the studio where the wealthy family's employees had begun their work restoring the studio.

"Madge'll be here tomorrow morning to help set up."Prim sat herself down on the arm of the couch and crossed her arms proudly as it was her idea to get them to help in the first place. "She really misses you, Katniss."

Katniss just smiled at the thought of her old friend coming over. She was looking forward to it, now that she was at terms with her past.

"Now what was it that you were all so _eager _to show me?" Haymitch tipped his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at the book Peeta and Katniss were now so obsessed with.

"_This_." She placed the book on Haymitch's lap and allowed him to flip through the pages she bookmarked, each page lighting a brighter glint in his eyes.

"That bastard." Haymitch laughed as he read through a song retelling the bittersweet life of a musician on tour away from his family. "All this time he said he had writers' block and he was just scribblin' away on this thing, wasn't he? No wonder our songs turned to shit." He was very fond of self-deprecating humor. He then turned the page to reveal a page Peeta hadn't seen, probably because Katniss avoided showing it to him. "Well lookie here." He smiled and Katniss had to scoot over to see what he was grinning at. "Looks like Joe wasn't the only inspired writer in the family." He teased.

Before Katniss could do anything Haymitch stood up and held the book out of her reach. "Haymitch, gimme that!" She jumped up and down in vain as Haymitch towered over her, reading her lyrics out loud.

Peeta thought it was all so juvenile and shook his head at the sight, exchanging glances with Prim at how immature the two were acting. And yet he still couldn't push back the feeling of curiosity behind the words Haymitch was now reading out loud. They weren't actually half bad. Soon enough, he found himself standing up and easily reaching for the book Haymitch held high above his head, but still within Peeta's reach. Taking it into his own possession and pacing around the room quick enough to avoid snatching hands, he read through the rest of the song.

"Katniss, did you really write these?" He scanned the words, as well as the notes messily written on them, chords and progressions scattering the pages. Katniss ran after him and took the book from his hands.

"Yeah, okay, I get it. I know they're bad." She huffed angrily as she sat down and clasped the spine of the book in her hands.

"Calm down, sweetheart. We didn't say that." Haymitch laughed, obviously as surprised with her hidden skill as Peeta was. "In fact, they're pretty good."

"Yeah!" Peeta nodded in agreement, taking his place by her side once again. He was glad Haymitch agreed because the girl beside him seriously needed an ego boost.

She gave them a shadow of a smile. "You really think so?"

"Maybe we can even include them in the album." Peeta offered.

"Woah there. Slow down now, cowboy." Haymitch raised his brow at the boy. "I didn't say they were _that_ good."

'Well so much for an ego boost.' Peeta thought as the smile on Katniss face immediately vanished, a disappointed frown taking its place.

"Well don't look at me like that, sweetheart. I'm not sayin' 'ya ain't got potential." Haymitch walked around the room looking for something. "S'just that you wrote those songs when you were, what? Fifteen?" He found an old notebook on a shelf above the TV and dusted it off. "You were young, and your experience was-" he searched for the word, "-limited."

He walked over to Katniss and handed her the notebook. "But you've grown up since then." He told her confidently. "Bread boy's got a point. The album isn't _just_ about Joe. It's about what he was to us as well, and you're his _daughter_ for Pete's sake. It's only right you got at least one song in there."

Katniss looked up at him questioningly when she found the notebook he handed her was blank.

"I'd like to see how much you've grown since then. Show me what 'ya got." His voice was challenging with an underlying tone of love. "Write us a song. If it's good, it's in. If it isn't, we'll never speak of this moment again."

Peeta glanced back and forth between the two, a silent battle seemingly being fought between their eyes, so much being communicated with not even a word. He could only guess what they were thinking about or what hidden meaning there was to their exchange.

In an effort to convince her, Prim offered up her own words of encouragement. "Come on Katniss, do it for dad. You know I'm rubbish with these kinds of things. And besides, you've got nothing to lose."

And she was right, she didn't have anything else to lose and whether her song turned out to be good or not, they had a handful of her father's to make up for it. She nodded to herself, determined.

"I'll do it."

"Well that settles it then." Haymitch gave her a good pat on the back before heading over to the guestroom, taking a stop only to grab the half-empty bottle of whisky that sat on the bar table. "Don't know 'bout you kids, but I'm beat. I'm off to bed. Y'all don't stay up too late."

Prim rolled her eyes at the man who obviously wasn't going to bed in a jiffy, but she shrugged taking comfort in the fact that at the very least he was reducing his alcohol intake. Normally he wouldn't stand for anything less than a full bottle or two. This project was bringing out the best in them, and she saw it most clearly in her sister who started animatedly discussing her ideas with the man beside her.

As she saw the two sitting side by side, she felt a little displaced, suddenly having to share her niche with Peeta. But being nineteen and not nearly as accustomed to the business as he was, she couldn't help but be happy for her sister. She finally had someone her age to confide in other than Gale.

Not that she had anything against Gale explicitly. In fact, if it weren't for him, her sister would probably not even be alive. But the thing was, she could say the exact same thing about Peeta.

The two were as different as night and day. Peeta, she noticed, was more open and free with his words, genuinely himself whenever he was around them despite not even knowing them for very long. He was bold, candid and from what she could gather, selfless. Why else would he risk his life for her sister back then, and even now bring her all the way out to the country to her family after her sudden breakdown without knowing the full details of her issues? He obviously held his principles and ideals close to his heart and she doubted he would give them up so easily. Also, he trusted far too easily, she decided, already seeing the glints of affection budding in his small interactions with her sister.

Gale on the other hand had known Katniss since childhood, and Prim found it hard to tell if his affection for her was real or purely out of habit. There was once a time she could imagine her sister marrying him and living happily, but when he all too readily ran away with her without so much as trying to convince her to stay, her respect for him had withered into nothing. Katniss was not his to snatch away from her family at such a young age and in such a vulnerable state. It was all she could do to get up and convince her father to try and get her back. Prim would be lying if she said that she didn't partially blame Gale for the vices Katniss had cultivated when she was younger, but he was also the one that gave her a fresh start after their father's death, albeit not in the methods she would have preferred. Prim wondered if Gale truly loved her sister, or if it was guilt that motivated his actions. He was difficult to read, and very slow to trust other people with any type of personal information.

Peeta, she had come to like in a day, but Gale, she had barely come to tolerate upon losing respect for him after all these years.

And then there was Katniss. Even with guys lining up and crawling all over each other to try to get her attention, she was as oblivious as a rock. Even now, as she let the walls she had come to build around her crumble, she was still so clueless and Prim wondered if she would get herself hurt because of it. That's why she was here. Katniss lived her entire life thinking she needed to protect Prim, but over the years, it had been Prim watching out for her. Prim found comfort and consolation in considering herself a silent martyr, because that was what she was. She would always be there for her sister, making sure that she'd catch her if she fell, and probably maim the one to cause her fall.

She was snapped out of her reverie when Katniss had asked her a question that she hadn't managed to catch. "I'm sorry, what'd you say?"

"I asked if Johanna got back to you on the offer." Katniss repeated, trying to sound nonchalant about it, but failing. She obviously cared about the woman's reply and looking at how she was on edge at the question, Prim presumed she really did want Johanna on the project.

"She picked up the first time, but the second I mentioned your name, she hung up." Prim wore an apologetic look on her face, sincerely upset that things hadn't turned out as planned. "I called up her boss though, and he says her shift's early tomorrow. We could always try then?" She offered.

Katniss' face was sad, but Prim could tell that she wasn't giving up. "She'll just have to see how desperate I am." Katniss laughed. "She'll pity me so much she'll have to say yes."

Prim smiled when she saw Peeta put an arm around her sister consolingly, and she beamed when her sister leaned into him, actually accepting the comforting embrace. Whether Katniss knew or not, things were changing. In more ways than one.

* * *

"She's not here." Prim said over the phone after she had made her way over to the music shop Johanna had been working at to find the girl had not even come to work. She was now face to face with the manager, as surprised as she was at Johanna's absence, that is, not surprised at all. Johanna was more perceptive than people gave her credit for. That, or she had slept in as she usually did. "I'll try catching her at her house. You guys stay put."

Katniss hung up the phone in a huff and paced back and forth around the living room.

"Relax Kat, Johanna's probably at home, and nobody can say no to Prim. Believe me, I've tried. For nineteen years, I've tried." A dirty-blonde-haired woman now sat on the couch, occupying its entire length with her legs as she flipped through channels on the TV.

"You're right, Madge." Katniss managed to let out, as frazzled as she was, her braid coming apart in sections and tiny strands of hair sticking out from her relentless toying with it. "I should just concentrate on what I can do right now, and that's prepping for the song production. Oh wait! I can't, because the studio isn't even set up yet!"

Katniss was obviously exasperated, but Madge couldn't help but laugh at her childhood friend's bouts with stress. "I know, I'm sorry, but how the heck was I supposed to know all your father's stuff was _ancient_." She looked around at the equipment in mock disgust. "The only one who knows how to set all this up without it crumbling into dust in its antiquity is my dad, and he won't be here until this afternoon, so you're better off relaxing for now."

Katniss sat herself down on the couch stiffly, giving in to her friend's recommendation and barely missing Madge's legs as she sat down.

"Ouch, watch the legs Everdeen." Madge laughed. "Are all you Hollywood music producers this high-strung?" She asked teasingly and Katniss granted her an easy laugh until she continued. "Gale was exactly the same way when he came by the auto shop a few weeks ago."

Katniss furrowed her brow at Madge's words. "Gale drove all the way here? What for?" That was something totally unexpected, as she had thought Gale had severed all ties with this town after everything that happened. He barely even called home anymore. What would he be doing at the Undersees' car shop?

"I actually have no idea." Madge sat up, surprised at how alarmed Katniss sounded. "He didn't even bother to say hi. Just went straight for my dad and asked for sales records from way back when. Pretty rude if you asked me."

"Do you happen to know if he stopped by here when he was in town?" She hoped he hadn't. That would mean he had in fact been working with Snow for longer than she thought. She gulped, waiting for Madge to answer.

"I really don't know. He just got up and left once he got the documents. Didn't think I had any obligation to follow him." Madge now wore a concerned look on her face. "What's going on?"

"I don't even know anymore, but as far as I know, Gale really isn't on our side." Katniss just sunk deeper into the couch.

"Is that why he isn't here with you guys?" Madge asked, not really expecting an answer, and when she found she was right, she just scooted closer to Katniss and gave her friend a backrub that always seemed to help her in stressful situations. "Well, for what it's worth, I'm here for you. And I happen to give the best backrubs ever."

Katniss laughed as she adjusted herself so Madge was at a better angle to work on the knots she had worked up after endless hours of work and sleeping in awkward positions, what with all that's happened. "A little lower. Yeah, that's the spot."

"God Katniss, stop making those noises. They freak me out." Despite that, Madge did as she was told. It was times like this that made Katniss miss her old life, and she was thankful Madge didn't resent her for leaving like she did all those years back.

It was when Madge kneaded a particularly stubborn knot in Katniss' back and solicited from her a less-than-innocent sounding moan of approval that Peeta by chance walked in on the two girls, fresh from a long slumber after two straight days without sleep.

His eyes widened at the sight and the sound Katniss was unconsciously making and he made silent steps to backtrack out of the room before he was caught in his awkward position. He was seconds too late.

"Oh, hey there! You must be Peeta!" Madge greeted him happily, still tending to her friend's back until Katniss jumped off the couch and straightened herself out, surprised at the sudden intrusion. "You have to excuse Katniss. She gets _extra _into my massages when she's stressed." Madge bore an intentionally seductive tone so as to tease Katniss and she was rewarded when her friend slapped her arm. Katniss' face was now beet red, but nowhere near as red as Peeta's was at this moment.

"Hey." Katniss let out as she played with the hem of the baggy sweater she now wore, obviously embarrassed at what Peeta had just witnessed. "How was your sleep?"

"Uneventful." What could he say? 'I dreamt about you the whole time' would be coming on a little too strong despite it being true. He _had_ dreamt about Katniss, alongside the car crash and all the painstaking details of her father's last few words. It was more of a nightmare than anything, but hey, sleep was sleep and seeing her now somehow made him feel better about it. "I just got up to tell you Haymitch sort of soiled the carpet with his throw-up."

'Wow, awesome segue, Peeta. Genius.' He thought to himself. He could see Katniss' friend keeling over in laughter.

"I tried cleaning some of it up, but I'm afraid it might have left a permanent stain." 'Okay Peeta, shut the fuck up now. This is not helping in the slightest.'

Katniss just smiled as she felt for the poor man put on the spot. Madge was terrible when it came to making people feel comfortable. "It's fine Peeta. It's not like we haven't had to deal with it before." She made her way to the pantry to take out a spray bottle of their family's own special mix of detergents that came in handy when Haymitch was around. "I'll be right back." She turned to Madge as she made her way to the room with a pair of rubber gloves and a rag. "And Madge, play nice."

When Katniss left, Peeta awkwardly made his way to the kitchen in the pretense of looking for something to eat, when in fact, he just did not want to be left in the same room with Katniss' somewhat imposing friend. But it was a futile effort as her eyes followed him, still visible from the bar nook that separated the living room, dining room and kitchen. "So Katniss tells me you arrange music and that you're a huge Mockingjay fanboy."

Well look at that, she was trying to make conversation.

"Well yeah, but I think it runs a bit deeper than that." '_Way_, deeper.' He thought as he poured himself some coffee and prepared some toast.

"So you like her." Madge hit the nail on the head with her guess and had Peeta stammering to recover as he spilt some of his coffee on the nook. He just didn't have much luck with coffee these days, did he?

"Of course not. Pssh." He grabbed some paper towels and began dabbing at the puddle of coffee that was now dripping down the nook onto the floor. "Shit."

Madge laughed. "I was kidding, calm down." She walked over and helped him with the mess. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if you did. Everybody falls in love with Kat at one point or another. She just has that effect on people. Heck even _I_ had a girl crush on her when I was younger."

Peeta looked at her incredulously.

Madge shot her hands up in defense. "But not anymore." She continued. "Most people snap out of it after awhile if they can help it."

Peeta gulped. That was the problem. Could he help it?

The ring of the doorbell sounded just as Peeta was about to speak and Madge nodded for him to answer. "You get it, I'll deal with the mess."

Peeta nodded and made his way to the door, opening it to reveal an angry looking girl with short dark spiky hair.

"Where is she?" She asked, her voice furious. Peeta had no idea who this girl was or why the hell she was so angry.

"Excuse me?" was all he managed to let out before she shoved past him and invited herself in.

"Where is she!" She asked louder this time and Madge ran over to see what all the commotion was about.

"Johanna!" Madge was about to run up and hug the girl but the look on her face told her that probably wouldn't be such a good idea right about now.

"Katniss, where is she?" Johanna turned to the taller blonde as if she would bite her head off if she didn't come up with an answer.

"She's in the guestroom, what're you doing-" Johanna stomped her way into the hallway until Katniss came out of the room and cut her off.

"Jo! What're you doing here?" Katniss couldn't get the rest of her words out because Johanna ran right up to her and started shaking her by the shoulders. Peeta had it in him to pry the petite girl away from Katniss until she let out her next words, stopping him.

"You bitch!" She shook the taller girl repeatedly, not nearly hard enough to cause permanent damage but enough to disorient Katniss thoroughly. "You leave all of a sudden and don't call me for seven fucking years and then yesterday I get a call from your sister, _your fucking sister_, telling me you were back in town." She started crying uncontrollably. "You couldn't have even called me yourself, you fucking bitch. You didn't even come over to say hi." She trailed off.

It took Peeta a while to process that this girl used the word 'bitch' as a term of endearment. How sweet.

"Hi?" Was all Katniss could muster after Johanna's long dialogue, dizzy from all the shaking.

"I waited the entire night, and nothing. Why didn't you tell me you were coming back!" Johanna now withdrew her hands from Katniss' shoulders and wrapped them fully around the startled girl capturing her in an embrace. "You stupid, stupid girl."

"I missed you too Jo." Katniss smiled as she returned the embrace. "Glad to see you haven't changed a bit."

"Yep, still as foul-mouthed as ever." Madge snorted.

"Shut up." Johanna rubbed Katniss' cheek against hers affectionately, cherishing their reunion. "You smell like vomit."

Katniss pushed the girl away and examined herself. "Er, yeah. Haymitch had a bit of an accident. Had to deal with his mess. Excuse me while I properly incinerate this pair of gloves." She laughed as she dumped the gloves into the garbage and washed her hands vigorously.

"That old coot's here again?" Johanna's face contorted into an expression of disgust. "Why?"

"Didn't Prim tell you about it over the phone?"

"Nope." Johanna allowed herself a seat and Madge closed the still open door, leaving Peeta to absorb what had just happened. Women were weird. "Slammed the receiver down before she could get anything out." Madge glared at her. "What?" Johanna flung her hands up in defense. "I was mad, okay?"

"Well looks like we have a lot of catching up to do then." Katniss took a seat beside her and slung an arm around her shoulder.

* * *

"No way. No way in _hell,_ Kat." Johanna was now standing up on the coffee table feeling as though if they had caught her, she'd have to participate against her will. "I left that behind me _years_ ago. I know I was your band mate and all back then, but after you went loopy, I set myself straight. I'm _not_ going back there."

"I've set myself straight too Jo. We're not making you _go back there_." Johanna's worries were ridiculous and Katniss realized that if there was one thing that Johanna took away from their reckless childhood phases, it was paranoia. "Will you _at least_ get off the table?" Katniss pleaded, trying to urge her off the antique piece of furniture. As disoriented as her mother may have been, she did not enjoy people stepping on her furniture. It was a miracle Haymitch still lived to tell the tale after he'd ruined so much of it already. "We just need a drummer."

After an entire hour of relating their entire ordeal with Snow and the commotion they had caused, it frustrated Peeta to see that Johanna was showing no signs of willingness to cooperate. "I'll be in the other room trying to wake Haymitch up to talk some sense into this girl. Call me if Monkey Girl ever leaves her perch." Peeta waved her off and headed out.

"Whatever, _bread boy_." She shouted back at him; Johanna thought she was so clever.

"Wow, like I haven't heard _that one_ before." He laughed and shot Katniss a sympathetic look. Her friends were crazy. Katniss returned his smile and then turned her attention back to Johanna.

"Jo, this isn't about you, me, or the old band anymore." She softened her tone at the girl she considered to be her older sister. "You have no idea how much it's taken for me to work up the courage to finally do something to redeem him. Between all the blackmail and bitterness Snow's put me through, this is the one thing in my life that makes me feel like it's actually worth living." Katniss heaved a heavy sigh. "It's for him Jo."

Johanna stood quiet as she stared down at the girl who seemed to have grown up a lot since their time together as band mates. She searched Katniss' face for any trace of the irresponsible teen she had come to know her as over the years, but she found none. In its place she found the face of a mature woman wanting to fix the mistakes she had undoubtedly accumulated and Johanna was suddenly moved to envy at the younger girl's resilience. It seemed she had actually gotten a hold over her dark past, something Johanna was merely striving to do each day.

Johanna weighed her options inside her head. She had been searching for something meaningful to do with her life and at the same time a means to vent out her anger and frustrations. The music shop didn't give her any of that. No one there seemed to appreciate her expertise with percussion and the customers didn't respond too well to loud deafening beats. She ended up just living her life drifting with no purpose.

Being in a band was really all she had then, and she guessed, even now. And she would be lying if she said she didn't have a soft spot for old Joseph Everdeen, the man who had gotten her into drums in the first place. She was practically his third daughter, more of a son really, and she owed the man just as much as she owed his daughter in front of him. Joining in their efforts would be a step towards progress, she decided, and if Katniss could do it, she could too.

She stepped off the table and extended her hand out to Katniss who looked puzzled at her gesture. "Well shake my hand, brainless." She smirked as the old nickname left her lips.

Katniss' face let out an expression of unadulterated excitement as she took her friend's hand in hers and shook it. "Does this mean you're in?"

"As in as I'll ever get." Johanna laughed and pulled the girl toward her for a hug. "If anybody asks, you had to drag me through hell and back just to get me to agree." She whispered jokingly into the taller girl's ear.

Katniss just laughed, shooting Madge an accomplished smile once they had broken their embrace.

"Well look at that, looks like we didn't need you after all." Peeta walked back into the room with a very grumpy looking Haymitch trailing behind him, obviously unhappy at being woken up. "What'd you do, bribe her with bananas?" He asked Katniss. Johanna returned Peeta's humor with her tongue sticking out at him playfully.

"I didn't think Haymitch's horrible sense of humor was contagious." Katniss quipped in Johanna's defense, effectively countering his statement as she skipped into the kitchen happily at the recent turn of events.

"Oh don't make me bring up the day we met, Katniss." Peeta threatened playfully as he followed her lead. "I still have that blank check, you know."

"Don't you _dare._" Katniss raised a threatening finger at him.

Madge and Johanna just exchanged confused glances as they surveyed the two in front of them, now bickering like an old married couple. Johanna raised her brow at Madge questioningly, as if asking if there was something between the two, but Madge just shrugged. It was certainly interesting to watch the two though, and so they did.

Peeta laughed heartily at the memory that he threatened Katniss with. It was truly ridiculous how Katniss had reacted that day and Peeta couldn't help but think back at the moment. He realized he didn't actually find her unattractive when he first saw her, frazzled and begging for him not to sue. To be completely honest with himself, he was actually stunned when he saw her walking up to him – she was beautiful – enough to cause him to readily forgive the infraction on the spot, really. But Katniss had beaten him to it, even going so far as offering him some Tylenol for possible head trauma. He still had that too.

And then when he saw her at the studio the next day, his reaction hadn't been purely out of animosity. In fact, when he first found out that she was working on the project, initially he'd actually been eager, tempted to see if it could lead anywhere. But the mention of her name changed things, and after hearing that she was _The Beast_ everybody at work was talking about, the rumors got the best of him. He shook his head at his rash actions.

Katniss Everdeen was more than what the rumors had made her out to be, just as Joseph was more than what the press made him out to be. She was many things to Peeta – The girl who had inadvertently run him over with her car, the daughter of his favorite musician, the girl who had caused him so much grief at the studio, the girl who was so vulnerable and weak against loud noises, and the girl he had saved that fateful night. He started to wonder as he watched the girl making herself busy in the kitchen if she could possibly even mean more to him than she already did. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled loudly, letting out a forced laugh as all these thoughts rushed into his head in mere moments.

Katniss looked at him worriedly when he hadn't replied and was staring at her intently. "Peeta?"

Her voice snapped him out of it

He laughed it off. "It's nothing. I was just thinking how pretty you look when you're angry." He gave her his best seductive smile and she hit his arm playfully.

"Shut up."

"Will you two just get a fuckin' room?" Haymitch sat grouchily on the barstool he had now claimed for himself during the duration of their stay. "So fuckin' loud early in the morning." He rubbed his temples furiously at the hangover he sustained, not that he had drunk too much the night before. In fact, he had drunk significantly less. It was the combination of drinking and _actual work_ that got to him.

"It's past eleven, Hay." Katniss walked over to him and handed him a cup of coffee to get the edge off and he took it willingly. She gave Peeta a shy smile which he returned as he moved to help her in the kitchen.

"Speaking of which, I should head out." Madge grabbed a piece of old toast before heading toward the door.

"Leaving so soon?" Johanna called out, disappointed that their little reunion had to be cut short.

"Have to pick dad up at twelve." She explained. "Maybe then we can probably get started setting these antiques you call sound equipment up. These damn Everdeens have got us all running around the place like mad men, so I guess I'll see 'ya then." She smiled as she gave them a salute before heading out.

"You are _such_ a slave driver, Kat." Johanna blamed her for Madge's departure.

Katniss just rolled her eyes at the accusation and changed the topic. "Oh yeah, Prim went over to yours, Jo. Did you happen to see her?"

Johanna plopped on the seat next to Haymitch and shook her head. "Nope, went straight here after I woke up. Ditched work. She must've missed me by a few minutes." She shot the old man a smirk as she stole his cup of coffee right from under his nose. Haymitch's reflexes weren't the best in the morning, and he was far too tired to care. Instead, he gave her an angry growl.

Just then, Prim burst through the door, shutting it angrily behind her. "Jo's landlady is _crazy_. I'm _never_ going back there again. You can't make me." She threw her backpack over her shoulder onto the couch before stopping at her tracks when she saw Johanna sitting comfortably at their table. "Oh, _fuck_ you."

"So she _swears _now?" Johanna asked Katniss as she sipped Haymitch's coffee, half surprised that the sweet little girl she remembered from long ago was now old enough for such foul words to escape her mouth.

Before Katniss could answer, Prim answered on behalf of herself. "I'm _nineteen_." She emphasized, kicking her shoes off and decidedly walking barefoot into the kitchen.

Johanna just giggled at the younger Everdeen who was obviously annoyed that the person that she had been looking for the entire morning was here the whole time. "Didn't mean anything by it." Johanna assured her, lifting up her hand to a high-five when Prim was close enough. "I've taught you well."

Prim just gave her a baffled look before returning her high-five and sitting down for some toast. "Thanks, I guess?"

The phone rang just then, snapping everybody out of the very late breakfast they were having. When everybody just stared at it, nobody making a move to actually answered, glances were exchanged before a furious game of 'Not it' ensued.

"Not it!" Johanna shouted.

"Not it!" Katniss was only half a second behind, before Peeta followed suit.

"Not it!"

Even Haymitch had it in him to yell for his right not to answer the phone, despite his raging hangover. "Not it!"

And Prim was left, once again taking it upon herself to ask as the dutiful secretary. "You guys suck. You know I'm horrible at that game." She pouted, hesitating to leave her place in the kitchen.

"Oh will you just pick up the damn phone. It's drivin' me insane!" Haymitch waved her off as he continued to fight off his hangover by increasing the pressure against his temples.

"It must be Cinna. He should be back in L.A. by now." Katniss encouraged Prim as she watched her sister apologetically, wearing a face that said she'd make it up to her next time.

Prim walked dejectedly to the phone and answered it, only to return seconds later with a worried look on her face. "Kat? It's Rue. Sounds urgent."

"Rue?" Katniss dropped what she was doing and ran to the phone, holding the receiver gingerly in her hands before actually putting it up to her ear. "Rue, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Katniss! I'm so glad I caught you." Her voice sounded tired and frantic. "I tried calling your phone, but I couldn't reach it."

Katniss mentally slapped herself for forgetting to recharge it. She had been so busy, in between the press conference and songs and recruiting people for the band. "Oh god, I'm so sorry Rue, I didn't think. What happened? Why'd you need to reach me so bad?" Rue had been a more or less independent boarder at her flat. She'd held her own for weeks when Katniss had to go on business trips, so it was unusual for her to have to call after only a few days of her absence.

"The flat." Her voice came in sobs now. "They kicked me out. I've got nowhere to go Katniss."

* * *

**Notes: **It is **3:43 AM** where I am right now and I am forcing myself to get this chapter ready for you guys, though it'll probably be late in the afternoon when I actually get access to the net. I am tired as EFF, and thus have had no chance to proofread this. **PLEASE leave comments on any typos** (I'm very sure there are hundreds, as this is un-BETAed).

So yeah, CLIFFHANGER! Well, not really, because you guys' get a preview of the next chapter anyway, haha. For people who don't know about the game 'Not it.' It happens very suddenly when you're with a group of people and somebody has to do something that nobody wants to do. So everybody tries to say 'Not it.' as fast as they can and the last person to say it ends up doing it. Just thought I'd clear that up for cultural purposes.

The entire "I'm nineteen" thing with Prim and her swearing is actually in relation to **Josh Hutcherson's** appearance on **Punk'd**. I was really surprised hearing him swear so openly, because in all the movies he's been in, he's always been a goody-two-shoes and I had to keep reminding myself that it's normal for nineteen-year-olds to swear. Haha.

Also, a big thanks to **Lost Grey Soul** who so kindly informed me of some music related things. For the record guys, I know nothing about instruments or the actual process of recording, and this is a learning experience for me. So if you guys see anything glaringly wrong with factual representations, just drop me a review or PM so I can fix it :)

Also, a few schedule changes. I update every **two or three days**. What I update, however, will be up to how fast I write for both my stories. I might update **Learn** **to Fly **twice in a row or switch back and forth between stories. And please don't worry if I get irregular with my updates. It just means I've had extra work laid upon me, but your reviews do help me work up the energy to get my updates in on time.

Now for the **Reader Pop Quiz! ** You'll have two options today to get an **EXTENDED PREVIEW** of the next chapter:

1) answer the quiz: **What two things did Peeta keep from the first day he met Katniss?**

**OR**

2) **leave a reply on the reviews on WHERE YOU LIVE and what TIMEZONE you guys live in**. I really do want to know more about my readers.

_**Chapter 8: Fighting our Battles**_

_Katniss' eyes widened. "What? How? When?"_

"_I don't know what happened, Kat." She scrambled for words to explain. "Woke up this morning to some loud knocking on the door, and next thing I know, some guys from your company are throwing me out of the apartment. They said I don't own it and that I was squatting illegally." The tone of her voice echoed her worry. _

_Katniss was speechless as her mind wrapped around who could've done this, and really there was only one who had the power to – Snow._

**Read, Review and Subscribe!**

**ALSO CHECK OUT MY NEW FANFICTION, LEARN TO FLY. The first chapter after the prologue is now up!**


	8. Fighting Our Battles

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 7544 words

Warnings: Plot thickening, convoluted metaphors and unusual fetishes?

* * *

Yay! An update. Hope you didn't miss me too much. Like always. I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed and liked this story and the other that I've written.

A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally,** Control Freak**, **Fu **(sorry I couldn't send you a preview, I had no way of replying), **GIFtoJPG**, **Cannoli**, **KinnaFatniss**, and **Chrysalis.**

Congratulations also to those who answered the **Reader Pop Quiz** correctly in their reviews and got a chance to see an **extended preview** of this chapter. There are starting to be too many of you to keep track of, so I'll just rest assured that you know who you are. Haha. Scroll down to see the rest of the chapter you haven't already read (or read from the start to see some non-major revisions I've made).

This chapter addresses some minor plot holes and thickens the plot a bit. I've gone ahead and finished work on the studio so that by the next chapter, they're ready to roll. I hope you enjoy all the character interaction in this chapter, there's a lot of it.

Anyway, enjoy the read!

* * *

_**Recap:**_

"_Rue?" Katniss dropped what she was doing and ran to the phone, holding the receiver gingerly in her hands before actually putting it up to her ear. "Rue, what is it? What's wrong?"_

"_Katniss! I'm so glad I caught you." Her voice sounded tired and frantic. "I tried calling your phone, but I couldn't reach it."_

_Katniss mentally slapped herself for forgetting to recharge it. She had been so busy, in between the press conference and songs and recruiting people for the band. "Oh god, I'm so sorry Rue, I didn't think. What happened? Why'd you need to reach me so bad?" Rue had been a more or less independent boarder at her flat. She'd held her own for weeks when Katniss had to go on business trips, so it was unusual for her to have to call after only a few days of her absence._

"_The flat." Her voice came in sobs now. "They kicked me out. I've got nowhere to go Katniss."_

* * *

**Chapter 8: Fighting Our Battles**

Katniss' eyes widened at what Rue had said. "What? How? When?"

"I don't know what happened, Kat." Rue scrambled for words to explain. "Woke up this morning to some loud knocking on the door, and next thing I know, some guys from your company are throwing me out of the apartment. They said I don't own it and that I was _squatting_ _illegally_." The tone of her voice echoed her worry.

Katniss was speechless as her mind wrapped around who could've done this, and really there was only one who had the power to – _Snow._

"I paid the rent, I swear." She continued. "But they brought out some papers and threatened to call the police, so I just grabbed a bag and left. I don't know what to do. I don't have anywhere to go Kat. I'm just so confused. And then I panicked when I couldn't reach your phone. Gale told me to try this number. I'm so happy Prim picked up." The girl's cries could be heard clearly through the phone.

'Gale was there?' Katniss thought to herself. 'Why didn't he stop them? How could he do such a thing?'

"Rue, calm down. It's gonna be alright." Katniss had to think. Why had Gale given Rue this number? Was he really working with Snow? It didn't make any sense. This was all too sudden. She wracked her brain at how Snow had any right to kick Rue out and then she realized that the flat hadn't been signed under her name. It had been signed under _the company_. Snow was exacting his revenge the only way he knew how. But before she could even begin to think about what else Snow had planned, she needed to help Rue. "Rue, do you remember Cinna?"

The hum of her voice over the phone told her she did.

"I'm gonna have him come pick you up at the coffee shop a few blocks down from the flat." Katniss bit her nails as she spoke. Peeta and the others had now gathered around her to find out for themselves what exactly was happening. "Don't talk to anybody and don't let anybody follow you. Cinna'll keep you safe until we find out what to do. Meanwhile, don't go to any bookings, you'll probably be forced to leave anyway, or worse."

"What do you mean? Why?" Rue's voice was puzzled.

Rue was Katniss' personal find – a talent that she had brought in as a result of her own scouting, not the companies. Rue was _her _responsibility and hers alone and now that Snow had no hold on Katniss, he was sure to take his anger at their little stint with the press out on anybody close to Katniss he could get his hands on, and Rue was exactly that. She wasn't even sure Cinna was safe from the repercussions. It had been sheer luck that he had cut ties with Snow before things got out of hand. She comforted herself with the fact that Snow probably knew nothing about what Cinna was doing now and hopefully this wouldn't all blow up in his face.

She tried to explain to Rue the simplest way she could. "Snow's not very happy with me right now, Rue. And by extension, you." Her voice was grave.

"I understand." Was all Rue could say. She was sure Katniss would explain in detail once she was surely safe, face to face.

"And Rue?" Katniss asked just before she hung up. "Did Gale tell you anything?" Katniss' voice was hopeful. She needed to shed some light on all the craziness that was happening, and what Gale had to do with it. Why was he working with Snow and snooping around town? Why had he even cared to give Rue her house number?

"I'm sorry Katniss." Rue spoke softly. "He just gave me a piece of paper with a number when Snow wasn't looking. He didn't even look at me."

"It's fine. Just keep safe okay? I'll get in touch with you soon. Wait for Cinna, and don't trust anybody else." Katniss lingered on the line before hanging up.

"What happened?" Peeta struggled to choke out the words, afraid of what he might hear.

Katniss just shook her head as she ran a hand through her hair. She felt like anything she touched would inevitably _die_, _break apart, _and _fail._

It was just unbelievable. Just when she thought things were getting better and that there was even a chance of her getting out of this, her father's legacy strengthened and her debt to him finally paid, Snow knew just how to rain on the parade. He was such a _child. _Snow wasn't content at making her miserable. Now that she had found a way out of his clutches, he was intent on making life hell for her and those she held dear in any way that he could.

"I don't know if I'm just really unlucky, or if Snow just has it in for me." She wore a forced smile on her face, wondering if she'd ever be worthy enough to experience happiness, in just once in her life. Snow obviously didn't think so.

"Sweetheart-" Haymitch began.

Katniss cut him off before he could get the chance to try to console her with his words. It was most probably going to be another one of his horrid jokes anyway, and she was not about to let Haymitch of all people counsel her on the inner workings of Snow's mind. "Prim, do me a favor and call Cinna, will you? Ask him to pick Rue up at our usual place. You know the one." She said weakly, trying as best she could to maintain her composure. She thought that after all those years acting the part of a perfect professional, she'd have it down, but it was getting harder by the minute.

Prim nodded, willingly accepting her honorary role of secretary this time. She didn't have it in her to complain, and behind Katniss' cynic words, she knew there was some truth to Snow's grudge against her, and against the entire family even. But Katniss didn't know that. Prim wondered why Snow would go to such lengths. It didn't seem like any old rivalry between him and her father could have sparked such animosity and hatred, unwarranted. There was more to this than it seemed, but she'd have to wait it out to find out.

"Kat, you should get some rest." Jo wrapped an arm around Katniss' shoulder and ushered her to her room. "You look like shit."

Katniss' laughed at her bluntness. She was sure she did. She sure felt like it. Even with twelve hours straight of sleep the previous day, she had gone without a wink the night before and was running on coffee and sugar. She hadn't noticed until now. She was so excited and happy. She should've known it wouldn't last. She walked with the thoughts filling her head, ushering her psyche into the familiar darkness she had become so accustomed to.

"Keep an eye on 'er, will ya Jo?" Haymitch called out softly. "Make sure she doesn't do anything-" He paused. "-rash."

Katniss scoffed at his words. She would do no such thing. She had been cowardly once, but she wouldn't be anymore. Sure, she still hated herself and blamed herself for everything, but now she was motivated to actually do something about it. But in the back of her mind, she hoped and wished that it was purely the love of her dad that motivated her, and not her anger with Snow. She hated it – such pure intentions being contaminated with such toxic grudges. But that was life, and she had to deal with it and look past it. It was what her father would have done.

Katniss stopped, causing Johanna to stumble at the sudden obstacle in her gait.

"You know what?" Katniss spoke, mostly to herself, but loud enough for everybody to hear. "I don't even care anymore." She brushed Johanna's arm away from her frame as she spoke. "Snow's an ass. Always has been, apparently."

Katniss' sudden outburst stopped Prim short of her contacting Cinna, all eyes now on her.

"But damnit, I've been much too affected by his schemes for far too long." She stomped a foot the ground. Any other day, it would have been such a childish gesture to do, but it seemed appropriate right now. "All he's ever going to do is keep playing games with us, isn't he?" Her eyes were trained at Haymitch, who nodded at her, knowing full well how Snow was, even before Katniss was born. "Well I'm not playing anymore."

Johanna wore a smirk at her words. She was wrong when she had thought there hadn't been a trace of the old Katniss left. Here she was, stubborn, and rash and all too caught up in the excitement of things. But this was the part of Katniss she had liked, and even come to love. And she was glad she had kept it.

Wrapping her arms around Katniss, Johanna smiled a devious grin. "Snow just fucked with the wrong Everdeen."

Katniss relished the sudden feeling of empowerment. As she caught Prim dialing Cinna from her peripheral vision, she contemplated the rest of her endeavors now that she had made it a point within herself not to let Snow get the best of her. Rue would be taken care of, and everybody else Katniss held dear was well within her scope of protection. All that was left was to make sure nobody else got the brunt of Snow's grudge against her. Katniss bit back the thought of Gale and how he ended up at the opposite end of the spectrum. She'd have to get to the bottom of that as well. That aside, Snow no longer had anything on her, and she was determined to keep it that way by making sure she had nothing else to lose.

"Well your sudden epiphany is nice and all, sweetheart. And now that you've forfeited the sleep that we'd chosen to afford you, I'd like to inform you that I'm still waitin' on breakfast." Haymitch huffed at his wasted effort to actually sound concerned for the girl. The one time he actually shows any sympathy for her, he gets rebuffed and li'l Miss Everdeen finds a whole new way to spin this thing around herself. He laughed at himself bitterly, he had gotten used to it. Joe was exactly the same way.

"C-c-c-combo breaker." Johanna erupted in response to Haymitch's obvious disregard, letting go of her hold on Katniss. Katniss just glared at the two. And here she thought the two were genuinely in the moment with her. "What? I just had to do it. Don't tell me you weren't thinking it either." Johanna turned to Katniss, Prim and then Peeta, and when all of them returned her humor with raised brows, she returned to the kitchen, pouting. "C'mon 'ya old lug. I'll fix us up some grub. Toast's getting stale."

Haymitch just let out a gargled noise of protest, but any food was better than no food.

Despite Johanna and Haymitch's inability to read her epic change in mood, Katniss still smiled at her renewed fervor. It seemed like every other hour was a rollercoaster of emotions for her, and despite the unpredictability of it all, it had changed her for the better.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted Peeta smiling at her warmly. At least he had the sense to be happy for her. But as he raised his thumb up in a genuine congratulatory gesture with a toothy smile that could light up a city, a tug in her heart told her that maybe she did have something to lose after all. A blush crept to her cheeks at the sudden awareness of the thought she had just conjured in her mind and she shook it off immediately. 'What was that?' She thought as she suddenly became much too conscious of Peeta's presence. Katniss was deep in her thoughts, digging deep and trying to fathom where the hell that blush had crept its way from. The others had been warranted – those times he had been unexpectedly close and she would have reacted the same way with anybody. How the hell did a simple thumbs up have the best of her now?

He walked over to the spot where she stood, just behind the sofa. He leaned against the piece of furniture and crossed his arms. "I know a place where she can stay." He said out of the blue.

"Excuse me, what?" She hadn't heard a word that he said.

"Your friend – she seemed like she was in a real pinch. Rue, was it?" He had barely been able to piece things together from the broken conversation he just happened to overhear. "If Snow's after her, she's definitely not safe back in L.A. where she's within reach."

"And so what are you saying exactly?" Katniss frowned, not because she was angry that he was butting into her business, but rather because she was perplexed at why he would go so far as to butt into it in the first place. It puzzled her enough as it was that he had gone through all the effort to bring her here and now work on the project with her, but she had always thought that it was because of her father. His offering to help her out with Rue now had nothing to do with Joseph Everdeen, and yet here he was, willing to lend her a hand yet again. Katniss cringed a little inside. Was he really just that _nice?_

"I've got a place in town." He said as he scratched his head, not knowing if it was really a great idea to bring it up. "I don't think I've actually told you this, but I used to live here too." He laughed. It really _was_ a far-fetched story, even to him. He thought that telling her this much was enough. He wouldn't go telling her the whole story just yet. "My parents live near the old donut shop. Well, technically, they _own_ the old donut shop, but you get my drift. Rue can stay over, I'm sure they won't mind. That way you can keep an eye on her, and she'll be out of his reach."

It was a great idea actually, but before Katniss could even say so, she had to process all the details. First – that there was a donut shop in town. She wracked her brain trying to remember, but her memory failed her. It wasn't exactly like her family made a habit of going out to eat; it always drew too much attention, so that wasn't surprising. Second – that Peeta actually lived in town. _Her town_. This man always had a way of surprising her. She laughed at the irony of his being a total fanboy of her father and not even knowing he owned an estate in town. Before she could say anything, Peeta spoke up.

"Well _sorry_ if a donut shop seems a little absurd, but I'm trying here." He looked disappointed at her reaction.

"Oh, no – I'm sorry." Katniss shook her hands in defense of herself. "I wasn't laughing because of that. In fact, it's a great idea. She can stay there once Cinna brings her over. I was just laughing because you've been a fan of my father your whole life and you didn't even know his family lived in town." She had to hold back laughter as she explained.

She was right. It_ was_ funny. Peeta didn't actually have time to register that he had essentially lived in the same town as his idol for the majority of his life. Joe Everdeen was notorious for keeping his home life on the down low, so he hadn't actually known until Haymitch had brought him here. It seemed almost ridiculous that he hadn't thought of it earlier. This was _big_ and the sudden realization hit him. Now he knew how raging fangirls felt when they find out their favorite stars frequent the same shops they do. He wasn't going to go around squealing and jumping around like a kangaroo on steroids though. He had to play it cool. Instead, he ran his palm through his face to hide the insane grin he was now sporting.

"So now it hits you." Katniss couldn't help but smile along with him. His fanaticism was a little bit endearing. "Just don't go around stalking our house at night and trying to steal my father's underwear and you'll be fine."

He grinned at her, still giddy. "I'm wearing it right now, actually." He laughed.

"Eww! TMI! TMI!" Katniss turned away from him and made a beeline for the kitchen.

"You're welcome!" Peeta called out to her as he threw himself on the couch, tucking his hands behind his head and sighing. Prim got off the phone and just looked at him as if it was the weirdest sight she had witnessed.

"What was that all about?" She asked.

"Nothing, really."

Prim dismissed the man's odd behavior and made her way back to the kitchen where it seemed Johanna had made a mess of whatever it was she intended on cooking.

Peeta laid back on the couch alone. He'd actually be visiting home soon. It was an odd feeling not coming home as a task for obligatory holidays. It wasn't like he didn't enjoy his family's company, but his mother had always made it a point to make him feel very uncomfortable when he visited, asking how his job was going and how much money it brought in. It took all his effort not to retort and remind her that they owned a _donut shop_ for crying out loud. She didn't have much room to be judgmental about whatever life endeavors he decided to partake in. But his father was more accepting, and he decided, just for that, that he would actually call home today, if only to give them a heads up on their impending guest.

* * *

"Help me out with this speaker, will 'ya Madge?" Peeta was now struggling to haul a very hefty looking block of equipment into the room that was to be their new studio.

Madge rolled up her sleeves and gave the man a hand with the burden. When she lifted some of the weight off his frame, he instantly eased out a sigh. He had to admit, Prim was right. Madge _was_ pretty buff. They set the piece of equipment into its designated place and tried to make sense of the wires and where they went before George ran over and swatted their hands away. "Damnit kids, just leave the job to the big boys." Madge just rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.

"Call me when the _kid_ wants to share his new toys." She called out and George just waved her off as she left.

The room smelled yet of fresh paint and sawdust, but Madge's father had insisted on starting early. Upon his arrival, Madge's father, George Undersee seemed more than ready to help when he saw the equipment lining the hallways of the Everdeen household. Katniss and the rest of the people from her generation just sat in awe as he worked his magic on all the dead-looking equipment, their lights coming to life at his touch and suddenly making them look vintage and usable instead of just outdated and old. He found each a place in the new studio. Haymitch took a liking to the man immediately, but he wasn't one for heavy lifting when given the choice and the 'kids' in the house ended up with the dirty work.

Peeta laughed at the man's possessiveness for his work before turning to the door where a pair of legs was now just visible from behind a large pile of boxes. "A little help here." A voice that sounded to be Katniss' called out.

Peeta ran over and took the weight off her shoulders. "Again with the boxes." He teased, remembering their encounter at the garage. He wondered why Katniss still insisted with her small frame.

She pouted. "I just wanted to help." After seeing to it that Peeta sorted out the contents of what she was carrying properly, she walked over to George and observed him intently as he worked. The studio was really coming into shape. The walls now a rich burgundy red and now fully sound-proof thanks to the generosity of the man who now sat humbly working on setting up the equipment which contributed to the atmosphere of the studio, not to mention its functionality. George had been a bit miffed after having found out that Cinna was bringing some of his newer digital equipment to add up to the mix, but wasn't entirely against the idea and now he was setting things up to make installing the new equipment easier for them all. The man was a genius in his own way. "So, how's it going down there?" Katniss asked, trying to see if she could get the man to actually include them in his ministrations.

"Pretty good actually." He laughed. "I'm still a little bit confused as to why there's a bathroom in this room though. Had to wrap my mind around how to get all this wiring laid out with the obvious fire hazard in the way."

The man's words had Peeta walking over to the bathroom he had taken his first shower here in, and again he found himself dumbfounded at not perceiving the obvious. Why the hell _was_ there a bathroom in here in the first place?

Katniss just laughed right back at the man, the question sparking a pleasant memory. "My dad had it specially made actually." She sat herself down on a stool that was painfully out of place in the room. "When he couldn't come up with anything new to record, he'd lock himself up in there. He always said he liked the acoustics of it. I'd sit up against the door just to hear him sing in the shower. Walked into him stark naked more than once or twice in my poor childhood life."

'Well that explains things.' Peeta thought. Leave it to the Everdeens to have odd habits, Prim included. He looked around the room once more. Seeing Katniss drift back into nostalgia told him this was more than just her dad's old studio. Haymitch had said that she had torn the place down herself, and Peeta wondered what exactly there was to tear down. He stared at the now painted walls which concealed the old barren patches of brick against torn wallpaper. There was a lot he wanted to know about Katniss, and he was dying to just sit her down and ask he. It irked him that he felt this way. It was now as if he had an ulterior motive for working on the project. He wanted to get to know Katniss, and not just in a friendly matter either. He gulped at the prospect. It was a long shot, but if there was anything about Peeta Mellark that mattered, it was that he wasn't one not to leave without trying.

George stood up and dusted his hands off, admiring his work. "This place actually looks half decent now." He smiled proudly. "Your father had good taste. This stuff never gets old." He kicked an old amplifier for emphasis. He turned on the power and fixed some jacks and a deafening screech bellowed throughout the room. George scrambled to readjust the equipment

"Sounds promising." Peeta laughed.

When George finally rid them of the noise, he continued. "You plan on installing a vocal booth? There's probably even enough room for a separate live booth if you want one." He rubbed his chin and Katniss glanced around the room to find that he was right. There was enough empty space for two isolated booths to be set up instead of subjecting the recordings to outside noise. The instrumental recordings would probably be crisper if they had one. This hadn't actually been a professional studio back in the day and it was mostly for personal use that it was even here. George continued, "I'd hate for that beautiful voice of yours to get drowned out during recording."

Katniss jumped at his words, obviously not expecting an off-hand compliment. "Oh, I'm not singing. I'm just producing, and probably writing and composing, but that's a whole other story." She explained, earning herself a small frown from the man.

"Pity. More of a waste, actually. Always thought I'd get to hear you belting it out again." He shrugged and made his way to the door. "Gotta have a talk with old Haymitch. Why don't you guys try testing things out. It isn't much different from what you're used to. I didn't bother to install some of the old analogue equipment after you told me that friend of yours planned on bringing in newer stuff."

Katniss just nodded awkwardly, playing with the mic that was now suspended above her.

Peeta joined her by her side as he toggled with the mixing console. "You aren't singing?" He asked, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.

She shook her head. "Haymitch and Beetee will have that down to a tee and besides, most of my dad's songs were written for male voices. I don't think I could hit keys that low."

"Isn't that what musical arrangement is for?" He raised a brow at her. "It's like you forget I'm even here."

She laughed at his cockiness. "I'd admire the effort, but I don't think I'm the woman for the job." Her laugh echoed through the room when Peeta toggled a particular switch. "Think of it this way. It'll make your job a hell of a lot easier."

He forced a smile. As much as he enjoyed Katniss finally being able to let go around him, he couldn't help but disagree. It always seemed as if the girl was selling herself short. He wondered if she could even hear herself when she sang. If she could, she probably wouldn't be saying the things she was now. "I think I've got a hang of this now." Peeta said finally. "Wanna take this baby for a spin?" He smiled, urging her to do the obvious.

"I'm not singing, Peeta Mellark." She smiled, indignant as she folded her arms across each other and crossed her legs on the stool.

"You _know_ you want to" Peeta said sing a sing-song voice, prodding her ever so often to get his point across.

"For someone who works in the music industry, you have a pretty terrible voice." Katniss teased back, shooing his prodding fingers away.

Peeta pouted. "That's why I write lyrics, compose songs and arrange music, and that's why _you_ should sing."Katniss rolled her eyes at him. "Oh come on. Please?" He kneeled, nudging her knees as he put on his best puppy-dog-pout.

"Just so you know, you look ridiculous." She ruffled his hair as she would a dog's. "There's no way that'll work on me. You're not even _half_ as cute as Prim is when she wants something, so you can't really expect me to cave in that easily."

Peeta played along, rubbing his cheek against her knee like a lost puppy. This was a degrading scenario to say the least, but it was an understatement as to how badly he wanted to hear her sing now. In his head, his inner self was scolding him for stooping so low – the lengths he would go through for Katniss Everdeen.

"What the hell is going on here?" Johanna barged into the room to be greeted by the oddest sight in the world. "Is this some kind of fetish?" She visibly cringed at the thought.

Peeta stood up calmly whereas Katniss looked like she was a ghost, pale from the shock being seen like that. Peeta shrugged it off. "Johanna, it's about time you knew." He paused for dramatic effect. "Katniss has a problem." He jokingly covered his eyes and shook his head, adding to the gravity of the implied situation.

Katniss just kicked his leg in response to his antics, and Peeta scrambled to get away from her, thankful that she hadn't kicked his prosthetic. That would have been a disaster. He ignored the pain his one good leg felt for now. He quickly regained composure as Katniss followed her kick up with a slap to his arm.

"I'm just gonna pretend I didn't see that." Johanna knew better than to test Katniss' nerves, but Peeta obviously didn't. "George says the equipment's working. I was wondering how soon we could get my drums in."

"We can do it right now if you want." Peeta offered. "George's truck is still out back. I can go pick them up while he finalizes things over here. I've been meaning to pay a visit to the 'rents anyway."

Johanna nodded, not entirely invested in the conversation. All she really wanted was her drum set anyway. "I'll come with you. Old Sae gave Prim a hard time back at the apartment. Gotta make sure the crazy landlady doesn't chase you out at the sight of you." She turned to Katniss, "You comin' brainless?"

Katniss smiled but shook her head. "I should probably get started on writing the new song. You two go on ahead."

Peeta was a little disappointed at her not coming along, but he didn't have much ground to convince her otherwise. He shrugged. Maybe Johanna could fill him in on some missing details.

"Well let's go then. We don't have all day." Johanna tapped her foot impatiently.

"Get me some donuts, will you?" Katniss called out as Peeta rounded the door to the hallway. She smiled.

"Sure thing."

* * *

The silence that filled the vehicle was consuming. Not literal silence though. Johanna was busy drumming on any surface she could. It was as if she hadn't been able to hold in her excitement at being able to play the drums in a band again. They had created a monster. And to think he actually thought he'd be able to engage in meaningful conversation with this girl, if by meaningful you meant meaningfully about Katniss. Any prospects of that happening though were now down the drain as Peeta drove according to the directions on a piece of paper, Johanna not even bothering to point the way out. If Peeta had thought he'd be able to pry anything out of Johanna Mason he was wrong. She had sat there, quiet the entire ride and instead let her fingers do the talking as she tapped incessantly on the dashboard to a tune that only she could hear through the large headphones she wore.

Peeta couldn't take it anymore. "Damnit Johanna, will you please just stop it with the drumming?" He asked as politely as he could with a raised voice to make sure she heard.

She removed her headphones causing Peeta to shrink back at the music that leaked out of it. 'How was she not deaf by now?' Peeta wondered.

"Sorry 'bout that." Johanna answered sheepishly. "I'm just really excited." Peeta had guessed just as much. "You can make a right here, it's shorter."

Peeta nodded. At least she was talking to him now. "So you and Katniss were in a band together –"

Johanna bit her lip, only half paying attention. "Yeah. We were. How much do you know exactly?"

He took the liberty of explaining himself, and his presence, leaving out details on who exactly he was in Katniss' life whether the older Everdeen knew it herself or not. He wondered as he did so if Johanna was smart enough to put two and two together.

"So you're like Kat's knight in shining armor." She let out a small laugh. "Charming."

'_In more ways than one, really.' _He thought back to the incident and his prosthetic leg. It wasn't exactly armor, but it counted for something. "I'm sure you would've done the same."

It was only after they had reached her apartment and loaded the drum set into the truck that the conversation continued.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but Kat's pretty much sold on you bread boy." Johanna teased him as she jumped back into her seat. "She's not usually that open around people she hasn't known for long."

Peeta knew that, but he didn't think he could call what he had with Katniss a very 'open' relationship. Sure, he knew about her past and secrets nobody else knew, but when it came to the little things that people usually dig out first, he knew nothing. He hadn't even thought to ask her about her favorite color. He made it a point to do so the next chance he got. Come to think of it, their entire relationship was upside down, him finding out about the gritty things before even making a scratch on who Katniss was as a person.

Peeta took his seat and buckled up, ready to make his way to the donut shop in town. It was his turn to keep silent, lost in thought. But Johanna wasn't one to go with the flow.

"So you guys own the donut shop?" She asked, sincerely interested. It was probably because the topic concerned food. "I go there practically every day. The bear claws are awesome."

Peeta smiled at that. He was always happy when someone complimented their goods. "It used to be a bakery actually." He told her. "We actually still sell some cakes, bread and pastries, but dad thought it'd be good to add coffee and donuts to the mix and they ended up being the main thing during the donut craze."

Johanna nodded, licking her lips. "You think you could give me a special family discount? I'm practically a regular and all the lady at the counter gives me is a scowl every day."

That lady happened to be his mother, but he held nothing against Johanna. His mother wasn't really a people person. The only reason she handled the register was because she wouldn't trust anybody else with the money. A discount was something unthinkable in their family, but for a friend of Katniss' it would be somewhat of an investment. "Tell you what. I give you a discount, and you give me something in return."

Johanna raised her brow. "If you're going to ask me to go around playing puppy-dog like you and Katniss I'd rather respectfully decline." She looked disgusted at the memory of what she had witnessed just earlier.

Peeta laughed at the girl. "I'm just gonna ask a few questions. You can answer them over coffee, deal?"

"We'll see when we get there."

By the time they got to the donut shop, the place was relatively empty, only a few customers sipping coffee on small tables across from the counter. The familiar ringing of the bell chimes suspended above the entrance was like music to Peeta's ears and soon enough he was being engulfed in a hearty embrace by a man with the same blonde hair, standing a few inches taller than he. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes." The man greeted the boy.

Peeta gave his father's back a small pat after being released from the hug. "Mom?" He asked, not really caring for the answer. It was a pleasant surprise, really – her not being there at the counter.

"She's out, high school reunion or something." Johanna cleared her throat to remind the two of their presence. "Well if it isn't my favorite customer! Take a seat!"

Johanna smiled. "I'll have two of my regular. This guy's paying." She might as well get that out of the way before Peeta had the chance to decline.

The man just looked to his son, surprised. "She's a friend of a friend." He explained briefly, not exactly wanting to have to recount everything that happened. "Johanna, this is my father, Ben."

"Yeah, I could tell by his nametag. Sheesh Peeta, you're just about as brainless as Katniss." She rolled her eyes as she took a seat.

"Is she the one staying over?" Ben asked quietly, not exactly understanding his son's choice of friends.

"No, it's a girl named Rue that'll be staying here. She might come in tomorrow. Is mom okay with it?" He wasn't entirely sure what the arrangement would be. His father was just so elated at his call that he hadn't exactly had time to plan things out.

"She doesn't mind as long as the girl pulls her weight." The man got to work on the girl's orders as she spoke. "I saw you on the news the other day. Found out you'd be working on a Joe Everdeen's tribute album." He gave his son a congratulatory slap on the back. "Looks like all your dreams are comin' true."

Peeta grinned widely, appreciative that his father actually took time off to keep track of his endeavors. "Yeah, that's why I'm here actually. Who would've thought that the Everdeens lived right in the outskirts of town. They own the estate I always used to drive by."

The older Mellark's eyes widened at his words. "That beat up old place? I always thought it was owned by the government."

"I know, right? Took me a while to process the information as well." Peeta told him about the studio and how they were setting up in town. He told his father about the band, Johanna and Haymitch, and about Rue and why she'd be staying over. He made it a point to get a little in about Katniss as well, her being his idol's daughter and all. He didn't tell him about the accident, or about how Snow was a manipulative bastard, that would probably take an entire day to recount.

"Slow down, boy. I know this means a lot to you but you're talking really fast." The man laughed at how excited his son was getting. "I'm really glad you're working so close to home. Do you think it would be too much if I asked you to stay here as well? It'll save you the gas."

Peeta looked to Johanna, who shook her head furiously. "Sorry dad, but we're going to be pretty busy these next few days, probably weeks and even months. They need me there right now." That and he didn't really have it in him to leave Katniss. "The Everdeens have been really kind, letting us stay over. Rue was just an unexpected complication. I'm really glad you're doing this for us. I'll make sure to visit often."

Ben slung an arm around his son's shoulder as he walked him to the table that Johanna was now drumming against, lost in her music. "Whatever you got to do, little man." He laughed as he served Johanna her order and two cups of coffee. "You two enjoy now. I've got a few orders to prepare for the police station. Seems they ran out."

"Thanks dad." He sat down and watched as Johanna began ravenously devouring her bear claw.

"Took you long enough." She talked with her mouth full. "So what exactly did you want to ask me?"

'A lot of things.' He thought, juggling questions in his head and at a loss as to where exactly he should start. He decided he'd start with what had been bugging him most recently. He figured the questions would just draw themselves out from there. "Katniss doesn't sing anymore. Why is that?"

"Well that's obvious." Johanna took another bite. "It reminds her of her father. Next question."

He was a bit unnerved at her frankness. He didn't think he could get anything more out of her than that. "How do I get her to sing again then?" He asked, venturing out for more on the topic. "Aside from, you know, lightning, thunder, explosions."

Johanna stopped. "How do you know about that?" She looked alarmed.

"There was a storm back in L.A. I know, unbelievable right? So much for sunny California." He stopped when Johanna looked as if that wasn't the answer she was looking for. She probably thought he had known more, and he did. He just wasn't showing it. "The lightning scared her to death and then she sang."

Johanna let out a small laugh. "And then the siren brought all the wayward sailors to their untimely death at sea. Join the club." She seemed to know a lot about the effect Katniss had on people as well. "Been there, done that. Stopped sailing off into nowhere when I found out my ship had no destination."

Peeta didn't entirely understand the girl's words, but he figured that Johanna's feelings for the Everdeen ran much deeper than just friendship. They were on the same boat.

"If you want to get her to sing, go ahead and take a shot at it, believe me we've tried." She took a sip of her coffee. "Anything else?"

He didn't reply immediately. There _was_ something else that bugged him, although he wasn't sure if it was in Johanna's realm to answer. "Katniss and Gale-" he began, testing the waters. Johanna didn't seem fazed by it at all. "What are they? I mean, are they? I don't know."

Johanna sighed. "It's-"

"Complicated" Peeta completed her sentence just as he had for Katniss not long ago. "Yeah I know. I've been told that way too many times. That's why I'm asking _you_." Peeta was frustrated, maybe it was the topic of conversation or the fact that he wasn't getting anywhere closer to knowing Katniss better, but he didn't usually feel this peeved at something.

"I guess you could say they're a _thing_." Johanna didn't have the right word for it, but her implications were sufficient to pack a punch. "They've known each other since forever, really, and just like the rest of us, he was there when Katniss, rather, all of us went downhill. He was part of the band too. I regret putting both of them through that. I was the eldest and yet I was probably the most at fault. Needless to say, Gale was the one who brought Katniss out of it after her father died, while I spent my time tending to my own issues." She seemed bitter about it. "I could've done what he did, you know? Rescue her. But they picked themselves up together."

Peeta felt genuinely sorry for the girl knowing now just how much she felt about Katniss. He wondered now how she felt about _him_. It must've been clear by now how interested he was in his idol's daughter, way past the point fanaticism could account for or justify. But Johanna continued.

"Seven years ago, they eloped." This caught Peeta off guard. "Well, at least we thought they did. Supposedly they got married, but I'm not even sure if even _that_ was real or if Gale was just so desperate to fix the girl that he sacrificed his dignity and name just to get her back on track. Couldn't blame him either. I probably would have done the same if I were in the right mind or in another universe. I was pissed for the most part that he would go that far, but looking back at it now, I guess I have him to thank that she's still alive."

This was news to him. He had wondered how Katniss worked so close to the business and yet was able to keep herself on the down low, at least before outed her without her choice. She had been using Gale's name all along. She was like a different person with a different identity. She had tried _that hard_ to escape her past. He gulped. "So Gale was her scapegoat."

"You make him sound like such a _martyr_ when all he was being was selfish." She spat, her mood suddenly turning sour. "Just a little more – even the tiniest push and she would have gotten things back together in her own time. You have no idea how much headway Prim made on her sister's condition. Given a little time, Katniss would have _healed_, but instead, Gale made her _scar over_." She gripped her cup tighter as she spoke. "She could have fought her own battles. He didn't have to fight them for her."

Peeta nodded. The Katniss now and the Katniss that could have been were certainly different in his mind. If she hadn't run away from what happened, she could have spent her days more meaningfully, instead of scrambling in any way she could to make up for lost time. But when it all boiled down to it, what Johanna didn't know was that if he was just able to save Joseph Everdeen, she wouldn't have had to face the problem at all.

"So now here you are, digging into a pile of broken goods." Johanna now stared intently at him. "What is it you're looking for, bread boy?"

Peeta didn't back down. "She isn't broken goods." He paused to gather his bearings. "If she was I'd be trying to fix her. But I'm not doing that."

"So what _are_ you doing then?"

"George Undersee isn't the only one who can bring some life back into old equipment." He smiled, hopeful despite it all. "She's not broken, she just doesn't remember how to live."

Johanna couldn't help but return his smile. "I was wrong about you." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, giving him her approval. "Maybe you're just what she needs."

* * *

**Notes:** Okay, so Johanna, in this story, is gay. I'm not entirely sure it's canon, but I read somewhere that she was written as such, but please forgive me if I'm wrong. I'm fleshing Gale out as a character, but it's a tiring process, but necessary, because he plays a much larger role than you guys would think.

Hope you caught the metaphors I inserted as well, with the studio once being white and barren and it now suddenly coming to life. I hope this draws parallels to how Katniss is suddenly living her life the way she would have had she been able to heal her own wounds naturally. Now I hope it's easier to understand where Prim's resentment for Gale originates.

And yes, it's a donut shop, because most grocery stores carry a bakery anyway, and I see so few of them around for them to count as a family-owned business, but I could be wrong. And besides, I like donuts.

Anyway, I'm going to be in **Hong Kong for awhile for a concert on May 27****th** and I'm going to be busy while I'm there, **so I might not be able to update any of my stories until the 29****th**** or 30****th**. I hope you guys can wait for the update until then.

Now for the **Reader Pop Quiz!** Again, you have **two options** to reply to in the reviews for an **EXTENDED PREVIEW** of the next chapter.

**Answer this question: What does Johanna usually have from Peeta's family's donut store?**

**OR**

**Tell me what song you would most likely listen to while reading this story. **

(Thank you **Secrets of the Nameless** for inadvertently giving me the idea for this question when you commented on my other story)

I for one listen to Our Lady Peace (Clumsy and Innocent in particular) while writing. There's another song I listen to, but I plan on including that one in the story so I won't give it away. It's an honest question as I'm looking for new songs to add to my playlist.

_**Chapter 9: Party Rockers**_

_When Johanna and Peeta got back, they were in more amicable terms. Johanna had spent the drive back telling Peeta embarrassing stories about Katniss and their escapades as a band. He was happy to have the older girl on his side as someone he could confide in with his troubles. He just sincerely hoped she wouldn't tease him about his now open emotions for the girl, as he knew she had the tendency to do._

_When they opened the door to the Everdeen's house, they were greeted by the sight of a tall bronze-haired man with Katniss caught in his arms in a tight embrace. He seemed quite friendly with her and both Johanna and Peeta had to bite back growls at the sight._

"_Well there you two are!" Prim was giddy, shifting at the balls of her feet. She clapped her hands lightly and pointed to the man in their living room, trying hard for her voice not to sound too much like a squeal. "You won't believe it – it's Finnick Odair!"_

_._

**Read, Review and Subscribe!**

For all of you who haven't already read it, I just updated my other story **Learn to Fly** a few days ago so go ahead and take a look! And for all of those who have, sorry again for the shameless plug. I'm sure you're tired of it by now, haha.


	9. Party Rockers

**Music and the Beast**

Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Chapter Length: 9154 words

Warnings: Impromptu party planning, photoshoots and cheesy serenades

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the songs mentioned or used in this chapter. The Eels do.**

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Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I've been busy revamping my blog and getting ready for the start of classes (which has already happened by the way) and I'm back to my busy schedule. But this chapter is longer than the others, so I hope that makes up for it.

A big thanks to everyone who commented and answered the **Reader Pop Quiz**! There were so many of you and I'm on a tight schedule so I can't really enumerate all of you but you get how much I appreciate everything!

What with the recent issues with fanfiction and their deleting stories, I've made some adjustments, and you can read about further details in my Author's Note at the end of the chapter.

Anyway, enjoy the read!

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**Chapter 9: Party Rockers**

When Johanna and Peeta got back, they were in more amicable terms. Johanna had spent the drive back telling Peeta embarrassing stories about Katniss and their escapades as a band. He was happy to have the older girl on his side as someone he could confide in with his troubles. He just sincerely hoped she wouldn't tease him about his now open emotions for the girl, as he knew she had the tendency to do.

When they opened the door to the Everdeen's house, they were greeted by the sight of a tall bronze-haired man with Katniss caught in his arms in a tight embrace. He seemed quite friendly with her and both Johanna and Peeta had to bite back growls at the sight.

"Well there you two are!" Prim was giddy, shifting at the balls of her feet. She clapped her hands lightly and pointed to the man in their living room, trying hard for her voice not to sound too much like a squeal. "You won't believe it – it's Finnick Odair!"

The tall man put Katniss back down on the ground and smiled at them brightly, extending both his hands for shaking. Katniss looked dizzy and confused, probably from lack of air.

"Uhm yeah, this is Finnick. I actually just met him today." She had to shake her head to get the feel of the man off her body. "Haymitch says he'll be singing one of the songs as a featured artist." Her face turned worried when the two had nothing to say and didn't bother to shake his hands. "Yay?"

Peeta and Johanna knew exactly who this person was. Who didn't? He was in practically every talk show and magazine and was voted Number One Sexiest Man Alive three times in a row. He was the nation's heart throb and now a sincere pain in the ass if he had any interest in Katniss Everdeen. It was obvious that Peeta and Johanna did not enjoy the man's presence, especially after getting so touchy feely with the girl they had just been in a serious conversation about just moments ago. But Finnick Odair hadn't seemed to get the memo and instead insisted.

"Haymitch called me over asking if I wanted to feature and how was I to refuse?" He laughed, wrapping his arm around Katniss. "I'd give anything to work with such a beauty as old Joseph's daughter." He gave her a wink and she forced a smile at his advances before carefully untangling herself from his grasp.

"This is Peeta, he's going arrange the music and probably coordinate the recording and instruments." She gestured to Peeta who only returned her introduction with a nod, still scrutinizing the famous heart throb in front of him. "And this is Johanna, she's the drummer." Katniss eyes were concerned as Johanna cracked a few of her knuckles. She whispered to Finnick, "You might not want to get on her nerves."

Finnick nodded slowly and instead turned his attention to the younger Everdeen. "And you must be Primrose!" He took her hand in his and gave it a peck, soliciting a deep red blush from the nineteen year-old girl. "You're every bit as pretty as your name implies."

Katniss rolled her eyes at him. "Don't worry. He's just here for the details of recording. I'll take a few weeks before we're even ready to record the song, so you won't be seeing much of him anyway."

Peeta and Johanna looked relieved whereas Prim let out a loud 'aw' of protest.

"Ready to kick me out, already?" His voice was seductive as he caressed her cheek slowly. "Why? Do I make you-" He breathed in. "-uncomfortable?"

"Please tell me he comes with an off button." Johanna hit the man on the head unreservedly, already having enough of his advances.

At this, Peeta laughed and Prim looked on in jealousy. Katniss just swatted his still lingering hand away, unimpressed by his antics.

"Down boy, or I'll call Annie and tell on 'ya." Haymitch entered the room and gave the man's hand a good shake. "Good to have you on board. Sorry if it isn't what you're used to." Haymitch gestured around him to the homely space that was their living room. "We're really tight on everythin' right now."

"I don't mind at all. Annie's a big fan of Joseph's and when I saw your stunt in the news, I just knew I had to get in on this."

A few more minutes of back and forths between Haymitch and Finnick and already Katniss knew it wasn't going to be easy working with the man. He reminded her of a taller, more handsome and more successful Cato, except Finnick wasn't as dumb as a log. She'd actually have trouble manipulating this one. Not that she had any plans to, really. She suddenly felt guilty that she even let the thought cross her mind. Old habits die hard, she guessed.

Aware of Katniss' distaste for the man, Peeta slipped beside her and nudged a paper bag in her direction. "I didn't know what you liked, so I got one of everything." He smiled sheepishly. "Johanna ate all the bear claws though, so I hope you don't mind."

"I almost forgot I even asked for them." She took the bag and peeked at its contents. The sugary aroma of the unhealthy pastries made her mouth water. "Thanks, Peeta."

"No problem." He replied. "I left out the ones with blueberries. I'm not sure what else you might be allergic to, but let's hope to god peanuts aren't on the list because my family makes a pretty mean peanut butter frosting."

Katniss laughed and dug her hand into the bag to find it. "I think I'll have one right now."

While the two had their little private exchange, Johanna shot them a knowing look and made her way to the couch, making sure to 'accidentally' bump into their famous guest on the way. Finnick didn't seem to mind. "So I'm on standby until Beetee gets here tomorrow." Finnick continued, still talking details with Haymitch.

"That's the situation." Haymitch didn't seem too happy at the revelation. It meant another head to take care of in the already crowded household. "D'you think you mind bunking with me and Peeta over here?"

Before Finnick could answer, Peeta jumped up and pointed at Haymitch. "HAH!" He screamed, earning stares from everyone in the room. "What? You guys didn't hear it? He called me _Peeta_! Not bready or Pizza or Pumpernickel." Everyone just continued to stare.

"Fine then. Now let me just make some _adjustments_ to my previous comment_._ Do you mind bunking with me and _yeasty_ over here?" Haymitch seemed thoroughly pleased at his retort and Peeta did not enjoy the implications of being called yeasty. Finnick just laughed.

"Before I made it big I had it rough too. I don't mind spending some manly time with my two new besties." He held the two grown men in a headlock with each of his arms.

"There's only one bed though." Peeta managed to let out whilst being strangled.

"Great!" Finnick grinned widely. "Haymitch and I'll share and yeasty'll take the floor." He turned to Katniss who had a bit of peanut butter on the side of her mouth. Before she could protest, he leaned towards her and licked it right off. "And _you_, my dear, are welcome to join us _any time._"

Katniss just wiped his slobber off her face, disgusted as she shook her head. _"Smashing"._

* * *

It didn't take long for the lot of them to realize that while Finnick Odair was in fact a literal sight for sore eyes, he was also unbearably loud, hyperactive and a little too giddy for his own good. It was a wonder in itself that Haymitch could so much as tolerate the man, but he seemed to have a lot of practice, and for the three people that weren't either desensitized to the man's quirkiness or too busy fangirling over his presence, it was hell to pay.

"Whatcha doin'?" Finnick was now by Johanna's side as she transcribed some music from paper into her computer. He prodded her with a finger and it took all in Johanna's power not to dropkick the man right then and there. When Johanna didn't answer, Prim cut in, hungry for any attention she could get.

"We found some of dad's old music, so we're doing our best to work it out ourselves. Jo, Peeta and Katniss split some of the music up to work on." Prim smiled at herself proudly. "You work on music too, don't you Finnick?"

"Please, call me Finn." The star's permission practically had Prim flying off the wall as Finnick threw her his hundred watt smile. He continued, "I guess I could say I do, but really all I do is sing-" He paused before continuing is ledge of credentials "-and dance, and act, and model, and host. But really that's nothing compared to arranging music and writing songs."

Overhearing their conversation, Peeta couldn't help but let out a small guffaw. He wasn't entirely sure if Finnick was being overbearing and boastful or if he was genuinely impressed at their work. Either way, he still got on the blonde man's nerves. "Thanks for lending us your voice then." Peeta enunciated his words with hints of sarcasm and a little more animosity than he had intended. But if the older artist had noticed, he didn't seem to let on and instead sauntered his way to the table Peeta had stationed himself in.

"It's hardly a burden. Singing is probably the only job I genuinely enjoy these days." The man seemed sincere in his words, letting out a wistful sigh as he sat down on a rolling stool and propped an elbow on the desk. "And besides, I don't think I'm here just to sing." He took a sideways glance at Katniss who seemed too indulged in work to pay heed to any of the conversation. It didn't escape Peeta's notice.

But before Peeta could get the chance to get out a word on the matter, Prim had her hands clasped tightly under her chin as she mused. "Oh! You definitely need to give us a performance." She was bouncing at the prospect. "You should sing! It's Katniss' birthday tomorrow and it would be the _perfect_ present."

It was at this time Katniss' head shot up and she abruptly interjected in the conversation. "_Prim_." She scolded. "They don't need to know that."

Prim managed to cup her hand over her mouth, knowing she had let slip information she wasn't supposed to. Johanna just sighed as she shook her head.

"It's your birthday tomorrow?" Peeta asked, his brows furrowing, wondering why this topic of conversation hadn't popped up earlier with Johanna. She was one of Katniss' best friends. Surely she should have known, and if she did, she could have at least told him about it. And all this while he thought they were somewhat allies now.

"We should celebrate!" Finnick's eyes turned into crescent moons as he wore a smile from ear to ear, putting an arm around Peeta and raising his other in a mock toast. At his words, Katniss visibly stiffened each click she took on her computer mouse became audible in her silence. "Or not." Finnick rubbed his index fingers together, worried he might have said something wrong.

"Sorry." Katniss blurt out, aware that her icy attitude was making everyone uncomfortable, save probably Haymitch who had passed out on the counter and Johanna, who had already expected her reaction. "I'm just not one for excessive celebrations." She forced a small smile out. "And I _really_ think we need to get all this work done."

"Fine by me." Johanna offered, already appreciative of Katniss' efforts not to be so uptight about it. It was leaps and bounds from when they last offered to eat out for her birthday and she instead locked herself in her room crying. Katniss gave her a small smile as she let out a sigh of relief, burying herself yet again in her work.

Finnick just pouted as he tapped his fingers on Peeta's desk. Peeta couldn't concentrate on his work, be it because of Katniss' refusal to acknowledge her own birthday or because Finnick was driving him crazy with his insane tapping. Regardless of the reason, he felt the need to clear his mind. "I'm going out for a bit of fresh air." He stood up and made his way to grab his jacket from the coat rack that sat beside the door.

"Ooh! I think I'll come!" Finnick wore a devious smile as he followed Peeta like a shadow. Prim was about to stand up and join them when Johanna held her down and gave her a miniscule shake of her head, telling her it wasn't her place to butt in. Katniss didn't even seem to notice.

Peeta let out a small growl at the footsteps of the man behind him and would have almost slammed the door in his face were it not for his restraint.

Out of the house, the air was chilly and Peeta buried his hands in the pants he had borrowed from Katniss' father. He walked a little off the porch and into the sidewalk, hoping Finnick would decide against following but the footsteps behind him told Peeta that the man was relentless in his persistence, for whatever reason. "Are you going to follow me off a cliff or something?" Peeta muttered, annoyance clearly in his tone.

Finnick shrugged.

"What exactly do you want from me?" Peeta wasn't amused and didn't even make an effort to turn to look at the man.

Finnick quickly matched Peeta's pace as he threw an arm over his shoulders. This man's obliviousness to personal space was becoming a familiar gesture. "Let's throw a party."

Peeta had to stop and narrow his eyes at the man, dumbfounded at his insensitivity. "Katniss already said she didn't want one."

"Doesn't mean we still can't throw her one." Finnick now stood face to face with the man, bending down just slightly to meet the gaze of the shorter. Even at such proximity, Finnick didn't seem to mind and Peeta could almost swear he could feel Finnick breathing his recycled air. Finnick just smiled his winning smile and Peeta wondered if he had no reservations using his tactics of seduction even on people of the same sex. He had to admit, Finnick did have a certain charisma and air to him, and if he weren't already so taken with Katniss he'd probably be more affected by it. Peeta shuddered at the thought, disgusted that it even crossed his mind. He shook his head vigorously, solidifying his resolution not to be bought by a simple smile.

Peeta just scoffed at the man. "You're insane." Peeta turned away and continued walking.

"That's just one more thing about me that makes me all the more charming." He gave the man a wink and quickly caught up with him. "And besides, Kat _needs_ a bit of spontaneity in her life."

Peeta didn't like how much familiarity Finnick spoke with about Katniss. When did he start calling her 'Kat' anyway? "Don't talk about her like you know her."

It was Finnick's turn to scoff. "Oh I _know_ her." There was a little tone of implication in his voice which piqued Peeta's interest, but Peeta wasn't going to go ahead and give the man the satisfaction of having something up on him. It turns out Peeta didn't even have to ask – Finnick didn't have any intentions of being secretive anyway. "Can you keep a secret?"

Peeta didn't answer. He had too many secrets of his own to keep and adding one more didn't seem to be such a good idea, but before he could protest, Finnick continued.

"Finnick's just a stage name." The older man confided, now burying his hands in his pocket as one of the biggest displays of insecurity the man had let out. There was a crack of humanity in him yet. "My real name's Nick. Nicholas actually."

Peeta laughed. The name did not suit the man at all. "And what does that have to do with Katniss?"

"Katniss doesn't know _Finnick_. She _knows_ a scrawny little kid who used to drop by for vocal lessons every weekend and mooch off their food because he didn't have enough money to buy his own." He paused, gauging Peeta's reaction. Peeta remained stone faced. "She _knows_ the boy who went off to Europe with a distant relative because his parents couldn't take care of him anymore. She knows _Nick_."

The story was a bit too unbelievable to register, but Peeta wasn't one to judge. Peeta was after all, Katniss' unlikely savior. And if he could be that, what right did he have to question Finnick's story? "So what are you, her childhood friend or something?" Peeta frowned as he dug his hands deeper into the pockets of his jacket. Katniss had too many male childhood friends.

"Hardly." Finnick let out a laugh, the first one that didn't seem forced or like a play to get attention. It was real. "More of like an older brother who pulled on her pigtails every chance he could get. She didn't like me much and stuck her tongue out at me every time I left." He kicked a stone that lay in front of him as he spoke. "Of course I wasn't as suave, handsome and debonair at that time. Puberty does things to you, you know?" Peeta huffed, not really caring for anything else Finnick had to say.

"So that's why you're here - to repay your debt to the Everdeens." Peeta insinuated. 'And probably try to win Katniss over'. He thought, but he wasn't so callous as to say that out loud.

Finnick nodded. "Joseph was a good man. It's only right that I help clear his name, whether the Everdeens remember me or not." Peeta's clenched jaw told Finnick that he wasn't very appeased at the man's answer and Finnick guessed that his animosity toward him ran deeper than just being annoyed at how in-your-face he was. "That and what I said earlier – my _girlfriend_, Anniereally is a big fan of Joseph Everdeen_" _He stressed the words, trying to tease the younger man. He could see Peeta's jaw visibly unclench as he relaxed. Finnick raised his brow at him. "Why? Were you worried about the competition?"

Peeta gulped, trying to stifle a blush that threatened to rat him out. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I should've guessed. Katniss does have a way of sneaking in and dismembering any sense of coherency you have left." Finnick kicked the stone to the curb and now craned his head to the man who seemed all too knowing of the feeling. "All the more reason to throw her a party then." Finnick now resumed his position as he caught Peeta in a headlock. For some reason, Peeta wasn't as bothered by it anymore.

"We're not doing that." Peeta persisted.

"Yes we are." Finnick replied, prodding him with a finger.

"No we're not."

"Damn right we are. And you're going to be her present." Finnick scrunched up his nose as he smiled, obviously excited for whatever twisted plans he had going on in his head.

"What the actual _fuck_, man?" Peeta gave Finnick a light nudge with his elbow.

"Trust me."

And for some reason, Peeta did.

* * *

"How the heck did I get stuck with you on fetching duty? I don't even know the guy." Johanna clenched her hands around the steering wheel as she trained her eyes on the road, obviously not liking that she had to spend the day with the man beside her. The man had the nerve to wake her up early that morning and force her to drive. He wouldn't even let her put on the music she liked because it "hurt his head". This was ridiculous. 'Why the hell couldn't he drive himself?' she thought. The barely conscious look he had on his face was her answer as the hung-over Haymitch grunted in response. "You just _had_ to go and fucking piss yourself off didn't you? You did this on purpose. You suck."

"Damnit, there's no way I'm goin' alone to meet up with that old geezer and that bat of a wife of his." He just buried his face in his hands trying to will the hangover away. "If 'ya think I could've have done this _sober_ then you've _obviously_ overestimated me."

"So you hate his wife. _Whoopdie doo_, _big deal_. Don't drag innocent bystanders into your shit." Johanna tapped her fingers impatiently against the wheel and finally succumbed to honking loudly at the insanely slow car driving in front of her as she screamed. "Get off the road! You little piece of-_"_

"Chill out, will 'ya?" Haymitch had resorted to rubbing his temples with intense pressure. Loud noises weren't something his senses could process without immense pain at the moment. "If you're just pissed you don't get to spend your girlfriend's birthday with her, you shouldn't be worrying."

"She's not my girlfriend. She means a lot to me is all." Johanna bit her lip, frowning as the car in front of her finally made enough room for her to overtake. "And what exactly do you mean?"

"Finn's throwin' her a surprise party." Haymitch explained, hoping the information would at least stop the girl from her screaming. "He wanted everyone out of the house. Probably has something big planned."

"He _wouldn't_." Johanna's frown only intensified, though her tone was more restrained. "Katniss _hates_ parties."

Haymitch just shrugged. "She's just gonna have to take one for the team if we want Finnick Odair on our side. The man's got a thing for big gestures and I'm not gonna take a chance insulting him by refusin'. He can do whatever the hell he wants."

Johanna suddenly hit the gas pedal with all her might. There was no way she was letting _Finnick Odair,_ of all people, plan this party without her. "We're getting' oldie, slipping his wife in the trunk and getting the hell back home."

"Sounds like a plan." Haymitch let out a small laugh of amusement as Johanna sped off.

* * *

"Tell me again why we're trekking a forest?" Katniss' feet were silent against the forest floor with her being familiar of her surroundings. The footsteps of the younger girl that led her however, were a different ordeal entirely and Katniss couldn't help but feel a bit peeved at the noise they were emitting "I'm supposed to be meeting up with Rue and Cinna. I don't think I have the time to be gallivanting in a nostalgia trip of my childhood in the woods, Prim."

Prim took her hand as she led her to a patch of wood that Katniss recognized as the place she used to frequent with her father. She wondered how Prim even remembered the place. She had only ever come with them once or twice. This place was more of a safe haven for Katniss and her father than it was for Prim and her mother. In fact, her father and she had loved the woods, whereas her mother and Prim preferred it indoors. As such, it was always they that ventured out and actually explored the forest that surrounded their estate. While the memories the forest held were for the most part happy ones, there was a lingering feeling of displacement which hung over Katniss' psyche. The last time she had come here was when her father was still alive, and yet the entire place remained unchanged. She wished she could say the same about herself.

"I have my reasons." Prim wore a cryptic smile as she cleared some branches to reveal the view of a clear patch of land. "It's been ages since I've come here and I sort of missed it." Prim pulled her sister to the front so that she lead the way toward the familiar clearing "And if you're worried about Cinna and Rue, they're right here."

Katniss eyes focused on three figures in the middle of the field. Sitting on what looked to be a large piece of fallen wood was Rue in a pale flowy gown with layers of fabric forming a flattering silhouette as the short hemline of the front of the skirt sloped down into a long flowing train down her legs and into the green of the grass on the ground. Pale flowers adorned her hair and the warm lighting against her tan skin gave off a glowing feel to the entire scene. Portia stood diligently beside Rue, fidgeting over the willowy girl's hair and makeup. Rue looked magnificent to say the least.

Cinna smiled at the two as they approached, walking over to the sisters with a camera in his hand and snapping a photo of their reaction to the set. He'd actually been taking test shots as Portia got Rue's makeup and styling ready. The look on his face told Katniss he was expecting her.

"What is all this?" Katniss breathed as she stepped into the part of the clearing Cinna had carefully marked with lighting apparatuses, worried that her severely out of place getup would ruin the ambience of the entire setting. While Rue looked ethereal in her fairy-like beauty, Katniss left something to be desired in her drab jeans and her mustard wool pullover. Even Prim, who donned a simple white tee with her faded jeans seemed to blend in better than she did at the moment. Katniss shifted uncomfortably before trying to rid herself of the awkward environment. "I thought Portia was the photographer."

"She is, but that doesn't mean I can't have my share in the art. It's a hobby more than anything." Cinna shrugged, not really thinking much of it. "Portia seemed particularly inspired when she met Rue, so I had her do the styling instead." Rue gave Katniss a shy wave as Portia teased her hair, effectively giving the girl a more fanciful look. It was obvious that the young model wasn't exactly used to such avant-garde styling. "Before I knew it, Portia had me drafting out some sketches as she dug around her closet for something for Rue to wear back in LA. On the drive here, it was all Portia could talk about. I actually felt sorry for Rue for awhile."

Rue shook her head slightly, careful not to interfere with what Portia was doing. "Oh no, it's an honor, really." She blushed.

"Prim helped us pick out the setting when Portia told her that the shoot would probably do well as a proposal concept shot for your father's album." Cinna explained. "We didn't want to waste the daylight, so we followed her instructions and came here directly."

"Music, art, photography and styling. You siblings are too talented for your own good." Prim laughed as she played with the train of Rue's long gown.

Portia laughed. "We try our best."

"So what do you think, Katniss?" Prim looked up to her older sister, obviously pleased with herself.

Katniss didn't actually know what to say, so she said the first thing that came up into her head. "It's very – _inspired_." She laughed at her limited vocabulary. She wasn't really one for the aesthetics of things and her father had always told her she was more responsive to sounds, but she didn't have to be an expert to see how beautifully Rue was styled and how intricately each part of the set was prepared - even with the natural beauty of the surroundings, each leaf seemed meticulously placed to draw focus to Rue. "So, what now?"

Cinna gave her a devious grin. "Well, we were just waiting for the last piece of the set before we started."

"Oh? And what's that?" Katniss looked puzzled. The set looked perfect the way it was. What else had they planned?

"You."

And this is how Katniss found herself fidgeting over a how utterly uncomfortable she was in what looked to be her mother's wedding dress except slightly more revealing than she would have preferred. "Is this really necessary?" Rue laughed at how she strained to walk on the thick grass in her bare feet, the train of the gown dragging on the forest floor and the sheer weight of the fabric causing her difficulty. I may have looked feather light, but it sure as hell wasn't. "How the heck did you even get these dresses here? They must weight a ton."

"Not without difficulty." Cinna snickered, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Katniss was overreacting.

"You look beautiful." Prim smiled, her eyes glossed over at how radiant Katniss looked. Her face was done up with a light tan bronzer arching her cheeks dramatically but with simple eye makeup, contrasting the sharp feature Portia had afforded her with. Her lips, lightly concealed with matte powder had a puckered feel to them as Portia dabbed a bit of blood red lip stain at their middle. It wasn't something she was used to; makeup wasn't really her thing. But the pleased looks on Prim's, Cinna's, Portia's and Rue's faces told her she didn't look half as bad as she felt.

"I don't understand why _you_ couldn't have done this Prim. You're much more suited for this kind of stuff." Katniss struggled to take a seat next to Rue as Cinna beckoned her to do so.

"Oh _please_. Because of me helping you out on this album, I've lost all my tanning privileges. I'm pasty white and unappealing." Prim answered a bit dramatically, obviously not entirely displeased with her fair complexion. "And besides, I'll kill you if you ever tell anyone I admitted this, but I think you're much prettier than I am."

Katniss grumbled as a blush crept up her face. She wasn't entirely used to hearing outright compliments from her sister and even though she knew what she had said was far from the truth, she was essentially powerless against such up-front flattery.

"Okay, stop bickering you two. You're going to end up making Katniss crease up her makeup." Portia teased them as she settled Katniss down, sitting on the forest floor beside Rue, by her foot. With an expert eye, she arranged the train of the dress so that it would cascade beautifully around the grass beneath her feet. "Now Katniss, lean into the skirt of Rue's dress. Your hand – move it just two centimeters across your lap from where it is now." Portia's details were relentless, but somehow they managed to exactly pull off what she had in mind, and with the light hitting the clearing just right as if it were timed exactly at that moment, Cinna had his perfect shot.

Cinna smiled a toothy grin. "How Vanity Fair."

"Shut up, Cinna."

* * *

"And that's what happened." Katniss had just finished recounting the entire tale of her escapades with Snow, minus the nervous breakdowns and not-so-awesome moments in between to Rue as they made their way back to civilization, a fair ways away from where Cinna had decided to set up. Rue had already gotten a gist of the situation from Cinna, but hearing it from Katniss was an entirely different experience. The walk back to the bungalow, at the slow pace they assumed, provided sufficient time and an appropriate atmosphere for the bittersweet account which so echoed all the memories surrounding the forest they were currently in.

Cinna took the lead, as Katniss and Rue flanked him a reasonable distance behind. Cinna was apparently good on his feet despite his appearance. She had to hand it to the man who was now hauling two large plastic bags which contained two very heavy dresses, with some lighting equipment over his shoulder and his camera which he slung around his frame – even with so much, he made the trek seem effortless. Portia, however lagged behind with Prim who so self-sacrificingly offered to match her pace. Why the older woman had decided to wear heels into a forest was beyond her.

"So _you're_ Katniss Everdeen." Rue's eyes were wide with wonder as she continued their conversation. Her tone was as if she could not process the words that escaped her very own mouth.

"Been there, done that, but yeah." Katniss' face looked uncomfortable at the fact. She still hadn't gotten used to actually admitting the fact. "You're not mad, are you?"

"Why would I be? My manager is _famous._" Rue laughed, poking her in the ribs. "And that aside, you've helped me so much Katniss. I can't even begin to repay you."

"Hey, I was famous even before all this hullaballoo – just not for the right reasons." Katniss nudged the girl back playfully. "I'm just sorry you got caught up in all this business. You shouldn't have to pay for my mistakes."

"Katniss, really. In more ways than one, this is a blessing in disguise." Rue's smile was sincere as she uttered the words. "I mean when else would I get to be styled in such awesome clothes and makeup?"

"I need it more than you do, though." Katniss laughed. Rue was right. After the shoot, Portia had afforded her the chance of actually looking at herself in a mirror. It was safe to say that for a good fifteen minutes of looking at the foreign reflection in front of her, she was stunned. Such styling and makeup was reserved for high fashion shows, and though she doubted she'd wear the same look out in public, heck she didn't even wear makeup half the time, it was good to actually feel good about herself, just once in a blue moon. In fact, she felt so good she hadn't even bothered to take the stuff off. When she dared to put her own clothes back on, Prim scolded her for defiling such good makeup with hideous clothes and to appease her, she struck a compromise which would allow her to retain some of her dignity whilst still being able to make the trek back home without much difficulty. So while she wore more modest clothes, a short dress and some warm leggings care of Rue's own wardrobe, she felt more dressed than she ever had been. Prim had teased her that it was a miracle she had even consented, but to actually like the makeup was a surprise. Truth be told, all Katniss really wanted was to see the look on Haymitch's face when she saw her so dolled up – he'd either be stunned or utterly disgusted and it was a treat to see either of those faces. Somewhere in the back of her head though, Haymitch wasn't the only one she wanted share this with, and as the familiar blue and blonde hair floated into her mind, a crimson red blush dressed her cheeks.

"We're almost there." Cinna announced, breaking her away from her reverie. "You sure you don't want to try going back to being plain ol' Katniss?"

Prim snorted in her sister's stead. "The pumpkin's staying a carriage just a while longer."

Katniss whipped her head back and shot the younger Everdeen a glare before turning back to Cinna with a sheepish smile. He shrugged in return and continued their pace to the bungalow.

Night had fallen by the time they reached the house and yet there were no lights to be seen from inside of it. 'They must not be back from the station yet.' Katniss thought, a little sad that Haymitch wasn't going to be around for her big entrance. That and the fact that Peeta was still probably out getting things read for Rue's abrupt visit. She laughed at herself bitterly. Since when did she need validation, and from Peeta of all people? She had to admit that for some reason, she felt comfortable around the man that she had only met a few days ago. He had a warm aura to him, the way he approached music reminded her so much of her father and his ideals. The thought of her father not being able to meet a man with such passion for the same things and the same music struck her, and she wondered what her father would have thought had he met him. 'They'd hit it off.' She decided, and disappointment filled her once again at the thought that he was doing this for her father. Had she actually expected for him to be doing this for her? She didn't know, but an inkling inside her told her that her view of the man was more than just of respect. She sighed as she kicked a stone in her path trudging down the familiar path to their door with heavy feet

Prim ran ahead of her, digging the keys from her pocket and hurrying to help Cinna out with the door considering he was carrying much more than any one man should. "Katniss, which key was it again?" She screamed out as Cinna readjusted the load in his arms.

"Prim, you've been living here longer than I have, I think you know which key opens the damn door." Katniss replied blandly, her mood sour from the situation she found herself in. She walked to the door to examine the keys Prim was struggling with.

"What? It's dark." Prim shrugged, handing the keys to her. "You know my eyes suck in the dark."

Cinna cleared his throat as he shifted the weight of his body and everything he was carrying from one foot to the other. "Ladies, today please?"

"Sorry." Katniss shot him an apologetic look as she eased the key in and twisted, unlocking the door. "See? That wasn't so hard." She mused at Prim, who looked unusually pleased for someone who had just been showed up. But as Katniss opened the door and hundreds of streamers came flying into her face, she didn't have to wonder why.

"**SURPRISE!**" A flurry of voices shouted in unison and Katniss had to squint back at the blinding light that accompanied their greeting. Prim caught the startled girl before she could stumble back fully, legitimately stunned at the sight before her.

"Happy birthday." A pair of sturdy arms took her away from Prim's catch and steadied her on her feet. Katniss forced herself to look up at the man who now held her firmly in place, a wide smile on his face echoing the radiance of his earlier greeting.

"Peeta, you-" She started, her eyes wide and her mouth opening and closing like a trout out of water.

"You look beautiful." He smiled, his eyes playful and mischievous yet curious and questioning, knowing full well that he had just been part of something Katniss had specifically told them not to do. When she didn't respond, he just shook his head slowly, his eyes trained on the floor, but his face still smiling. Katniss could have sworn he saw his ears turn bright red. He loosened his grip on her and stepped back, gesturing her inside to allow her into her own party.

A pair of hands grabbed her just then and pulled her into the house abruptly as Cinna, Rue, Prim and Portia followed behind her, amazed, although not surprised at the scene before them. Katniss turned back to them incredulously. "You guys planned it all along." She tried to say the words accusingly but they fell flat as she saw the faces of those in attendance. There weren't very many, but the people that mattered were there, and suddenly she felt monumentally grateful that she had chosen to dress better and keep the makeup under the eyes of all those that watched her. It felt like high school prom all over again.

Portia shrugged at Katniss' accusation and winked as she accompanied her brother to put away their equipment.

"It was my idea." The owner of the new pair of hands that held her boasted. Finnick ushered her into the living room and sat her down on the couch. "Nice look by the way." He gave her a wink then turned to Cinna with a thumbs up. "Nice work." Cinna returned his gesture with a wave of his hand.

"What is all this?" She looked around her living room which now looked to be transformed into a small nightclub, flashing laser lights, a black-lit dance floor and drinks strategically placed everywhere. Haymitch assumed his usual place, making the most of the opening bar and Katniss felt genuinely disappointed that the man wouldn't be sober enough to give a coherent opinion on how she looked. Cocking her head a little to the right, she saw Madge standing proudly with her arms crossed, her father beside her waving spastically and she knew the Undersees where to blame for this spectacular display.

"Sorry, Kat. Didn't get a say in any of this. I know how much you hate parties, but if it's any consolation, I got here in time to stop Finnick from bringing in the male strippers." Johanna sat beside her best friend and put an arm around her, the tone of her voice hinting that there wasn't as much regret as she thought there would be at the turn of events.

Before Katniss could actually process what was happening and take in the sensory overload, music started playing drowning out any coherent thought she might have been brewing. Instead, she settled for a simple question. "Why?"

"C'mon brainless. Live a little." Johanna nudged her, handing her a drink. "It's your birthday, and we haven't celebrated it in years. If you aren't doing this for yourself, then do it for us." She paused as her eyes followed the infamous organizer of the party as he stood on a table singing Happy Birthday unabashedly. "And for that playboy, movie star, singer, actor, model guy who might just screw us over if we don't let him get his way."

Katniss forced a smile on her face as the said man's gaze met hers and she waved awkwardly as he flashed a smile which seemed only like a goofy look of genuine accomplishment. Katniss felt awkward. Very awkward.

"What'd they do to your face?" Johanna asked, taking a swig of her own drink. Judging by the way she was hitting it, it must've been alcohol.

Katniss took note of this and took a small reserved sip of her own. 'Yep, definitely alcohol.' She squinted a little as the bitter burning taste made its way down her throat. It had been ages since her last drink and she had forgotten how bitter Johanna's brews tended to be. "It's a long story." She answered after managing to swallow her drink, not even bothering to focus her eyes on anything in particular. "Does my mom know about this?"

"Why don't you go ask her yourself?" Johanna nodded in the direction of the woman who looked like she was enjoying herself, now dancing with a couple who looked to be her age. "Who knew your mom was such a party animal?"

Katniss had to squint her eyes to recognize the couple as Beetee and Wiress. They had aged beautifully, in her opinion, but really all she had to compare to was Haymitch and her mother, both of whom weren't very good examples in the first place. She laughed at the sight of the three of them dancing a little out-datedly to the club music of the 21st century.

Prim plopped on the couch beside the two girls, sandwiching Katniss in the middle. "So, whadya think?"

"I think you guys are mad." Katniss took a larger gulp of her drink, the music making it harder to concentrate. "But it's the thought that counts."

"Well that figures."Johanna scoffed. "All blondie over here was thinking of was Finnick Odair asking her to personally help him plan the secret exclusive birthday party of the decade."

Prim slapped the older woman's arm playfully. "Was not. So I can't even throw my sister a party without having any ulterior motives? Please."

The two exchanged playful teases between themselves as Katniss finished her drink. Katniss rolled her eyes at the two, getting up from her seat and allowing them to continue on without her. This was going to be a long night.

A waiter, one of the many Finnick had hired for the private event offered her a tray of lighter drinks and she thankfully took one off him. She cradled her second drink in her hands, her eyes scouring the room for anybody else who had come as the two girls beside her bickered on.

Finnick was now dancing with a dark haired girl with long wavy hair and Katniss couldn't help but wonder if that was his 'someone special' as the smile he shared with her was so different from the ones that seemed so staged and plastic. The girl's eyes, a striking pale green in stark contrast to the lights that now permeated the dimly-lit room, met hers and soon enough, Katniss found herself enveloped in a hug by the shorter girl who looked much younger than Katniss had initially thought. Apparently, Finnick wasn't the only one with personal space issues.

"Katniss!" The girl exclaimed, her voice loud with a ring that reminded Katniss of wind chimes. "I've heard so much about you! I'm so happy you're doing this project. I've been bugging Finnick about it since I heard the news."

"This is Annie." Finnick explained. He looked rather sheepish now that Katniss thought about it, and she wondered if this was how he naturally was behind the mask of perfection media had created for him. The lack of forced confidence was refreshing.

"His girlfriend." Annie chided playfully. She was more like a child than Prim was, but as Finnick wrapped a possessive arm around the woman's slender waist, Katniss understood how the two fit so well together. "But shh. Nobody's supposed to know." She giggled.

"Of course." Katniss smiled back at the girl who seemed to have Finnick wrapped around her fingers. Being a star was difficult that way. In some ways, you're treated like public property and one woman laying claim on the world's most eligible 'bachelor' was almost like treason. Katniss felt for the man who wore such hard mask of indifference in strength in adapting to the machinations of the flawed system of show business. She wasn't the only one with scars to show for her fame, apparently. "I'm glad you were able to make it. Your Finnick throws one hell of a party."

"I hope you don't mind, though." Annie's brows furrowed a little in concern. "Your friend sort of gave Finnick a hard time about it." Katniss' followed Annie's eyes, trained on Johanna still in a heated battle of quips with her younger sister.

"Don't mind her. She's not as abrasive as she seems." Katniss laughed. Of course Johanna would come to Katniss' defense and of course she'd oppose the party, but looking at her now, Johanna didn't seem to mind at all, and Katniss realized that she shouldn't either. "Plus, I think I'm actually enjoying this party. Thanks for the present, Finnick."

Finnick flashed her a smile and Annie clapped her hands quickly as she let out a light squeal. "That's not the best part! You haven't even _seen_ your surprise yet!"

"Annie, that's why it's called a surprise. She isn't supposed to know about it yet." Finnick muttered softly, tightening his grip playfully around her waist. He forced out a feigned smile of innocence, hoping Katniss hadn't heard.

But she had. "What surprise?"

No sooner had she uttered the words when all the flashing lights suddenly dimmed and one spotlight shone on a figure a few meters from the fame of the hallway of rooms. There stood Peeta, a guitar strapped around his frame and a few dozen roses in his hands in one of the most cliché birthday displays one could only fathom.

"Katniss Everdeen. I just met you, and this is _crazy_. But it's your party, so happy birthday." The look of nervousness was apparent on Peeta's face and it was all he could do not to trip over his words as he made his way to the stunned girl who was now covering her mouth, either in embarrassment for herself, or for him. Maybe even a bit of both.

"I can't believe you just said that." Katniss whispered quietly as she took the roses from him, wishing desperately for the scene to end, a bright red now flashing through her cheeks. "You look ridiculous by the way."

He did look ridiculous in a short-sleeved polo shirt with a bright yellow polka-dotted bowtie undone around his neck and old corduroy pants. Peeta leaned in and whispered to her, drawing a few gasps from those watching, but the words he muttered were far from romantic. "Just go with it, Odair's crazy and Annie picked out the clothes."

Katniss bit back a laugh and nodded slowly as Peeta stepped back and propped his guitar up for the cliché song that was to come. They both knew this was ridiculous, but the touched looks people, especially Finnick who looked very pleased with himself, gave them egged him on. "I don't do this often, or at all, but what the hell. This is for you, Kat."

_You don't have a clue,_

_What it is like_

_To be next to you._

'Oh god, he's actually doing this.' Katniss trained her eyes to the floor, trying to avoid his gaze and any others' while he sang. She gulped. 'Do it for Finnick, take one for the team.' She chanted in her head like a mantra.

_I'm here to tell you,_

_That it is good,_

_That it is true._

'What the heck did I just sing? Did I really just write those lyrics?' Peeta thought nervously, almost meeting a strum of his guitar. 'She's not looking at me. I look like an idiot. Fuck you, Finnick. Fuck you."

_Birds singing a song,_

_Old paint is peeling,_

_This is that fresh_

_that fresh feeling._

_Words can't be that strong,_

_My heart is reeling,_

_This is that fresh,_

_That fresh feeling._

The light of a projector flickered on as it pictures on a slideshow played on the blank wall Finnick so strategically prepared. Katniss eyes now shifted from the floor to the wall where pictures of the shoot from earlier and from their work these past few days flashed. Where had all these pictures come from? Her eyes widened when she saw pictures of Peeta writing and composing. It was his song. He had written a song _for her_.

_Try, try to forget,_

_what's in the past,_

_tomorrow is here._

One by one, messages from each person started to play. Cinna greeted her first, recounting an old tale from when they had first met and how he thought the scarf she wore looked horrendous. Then came short messages from Portia, Octavia, Venia and Flavius who hadn't known her very well, but each had their own encouraging words to say.

_Love, orange sky above,_

_Lighting your way_

_There's nothing to fear._

Her friends came on next, a short and curt message from Johanna, more of an inside joke than anything played, and Katniss found her eyes moistening on the brink of tears. Madge told her to get a life and to start paying her for her massages. Katniss just shot her a playful glare, trying so hard to keep herself composed. Were those violins playing? She turned around to find that Cinna had started up the synth and had started accompanying Peeta on his guitar.

_Birds singing a song,_

_Old paint is peeling,_

_This is that fresh_

_That fresh feeling._

_Words can't be that strong,_

_My heart is reeling,_

_This is that fresh,_

_That fresh feeling._

Her mother came on screen next and it was hilarious how she tried to comprehend the rationale of the video, but in the end a simple 'I love you' was all it took for Katniss to lose it and break down in tears. Her mother came up to her just then and embraced her warmly and Katniss returned the gesture with a kiss to her cheek, thankful for this little display of awareness despite it all. Prim, in her video, was actually crying and Katniss couldn't understand half of what she said through her sobs, but like she had said earlier, it was the thought that counted, and the few words she did understand from her sister were like gold.

_Some people are good,_

_Babe in the hood,_

_So pure and so free._

Finnick and Annie each gave their messages, shallow, but well-meant, and suddenly Katniss didn't hate this whole situation. She made a mental note to ask Finnick himself for a copy of the video, just for 'safe keeping'. Haymitch and Beetee came next and she found that Haymitch was surprisingly sober as he recalled the times when the band with her father would chase her around on her tail at all times. She had always had them running after her, and years after, even now, their loyalties still lay with her. She grateful, eternally grateful.

_I make a safe bet,_

_You're gonna get,_

_Whatever you need._

Peeta came in last. There were patches of awkward silence in his words, but they struck a chord still. "I came into this for your father. The entire time had thought it was for him. But then I realized. That day in the studio when I walked out on Snow, I didn't just walk out because of the song list. I walked out after I realized he had been using _you_. I walked out because of _you_, Katniss Everdeen. And now I'm here to stay, not because of your father, but for you. Always."

_Birds singing a song,_

_Old paint is peeling,_

_This is that fresh_

_That fresh feeling._

_Words can't be that strong,_

_My heart is reeling,_

Katniss turned to Peeta, who now wore a sad smile on his face. The look he gave her tugged on her heartstrings and she suddenly felt an inexplicable force drawing her to him. What was it about this man? Was he telling her the truth? Or was this all just an act to keep them on Finnick's good side? How much of it was real?

At this point she didn't really care. As the last few lines drew to a close, she walked up to the man, her grey eyes now meeting his blue ones directly, and in them she saw nothing but sincerity. She couldn't explain what she felt after that. All that she knew was in a matter of seconds she had thrown herself onto the man, capturing him in her embrace.

_This is that fresh,_

_That fresh feeling._

* * *

**Notes: **Sorry that this took so long to update. I really don't have any other reason other than that I was busy and uninspired.

This chapter was a bit of a filler chapter and rest assured that the plot will be back on track with more character development in the next chapter ;) Btw, did any of you recognize the song? Haha. I hope some of you did.

Regarding the recent issues with fanfiction, people have PM'd me concerning both my active stories and all I have to say is that I've been following the ratings perfectly so far, so I'm not very concerned with my stories being taken down, but _**just in case**__. _ I will be posting copies of my story on **my personal blog**, which you can find on my** Profile Page**. That, or you can just search for it on google – Ada no Nikki (blogspot).

I'm also really sorry to say that I have come to the point that I cannot moderate all the comments on my fanfiction, so instead of the Reader Pop Quiz,** I will be displaying the EXTENDED PREVIEW for this story and all others that follow on my PERSONAL BLOG as well. **So all of you can just go ahead and look for the extended preview there.

I'll also be posting tidbits, notes and related music and art on that blog so it would be best if you **follow my blog via google friend connect** or **subscribe to my RSS feed** so you can get updates. Please and thank you!

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_**Chapter 10: The Real Us**_

_After Peeta and Katniss' abrupt display of affection, the entire audience had erupted into a flurry of emotion and cheers which spurred a very well received call for drinks and merry-making. It was a festival of drunkards to say the least and by two in the morning everyone was either out cold or too drunk to care._

_Everyone but Katniss and Peeta, who instead, for some reason, spent the rest of the night outside on the porch talking._

"_You really do have a knack for composing and arranging. The violin was a nice touch." Katniss nudged the man in the ribs cuddling into the sweater he had so generously lent her. While she appreciated the dress which she found out was in fact not actually Rue's but a dress specifically chosen for her by Finnick Odair with the scheming help of her friend Cinna, it didn't really do much for the unusual cold the night had stuck them with. "But your lyrics suck."_

_Peeta laughed. "Okay already. As if Haymitch didn't give me enough grief about it already. I'm not as gifted as you Everdeens are, okay?"_

"_I liked them though." She told him, her voice quiet "Did you really mean what you said?"_

"_What?" He asked. He seemed distracted. "The song or the video?"_

"_Both." She answered, suddenly gathering the courage to take his hand in hers as she squeezed his lightly._

_Peeta smiled at her warmly. "Before I answer, I need to tell you something." He gulped, wondering if he had the guts to push through with what he was about to do. Could he really reveal himself to this girl? Telling her about that night would be telling her that he saved her. But it would also mean telling her that at the same time, he had failed to save her father. Would she hate him?_

_He really didn't have a choice. He had withheld the information from her for far too long and it was eating him up inside. He searched her eyes for any signs of judgment, but at that point, there was none, only curiosity and sincerity. He wondered if what they had would change after he broke the news to her, that is if they had anything in the first place. What were they anyway? He knew they were something more than just co-workers. Friends? Maybe, but the way her hand held his and the feelings that mere action stirred within him told him that he couldn't be content with being just that. Either way, he had to tell her, and now seemed as good a time as ever. "Katniss, I-"_

_Just then, Katniss stood up, her hand recoiling from Peeta's. Her eyes were wide as they trained themselves to a figure approaching them from a distance._

"_Gale?"_

"_Hey Catnip." He greeted her. "I know it's late, but happy birthday."_

**I'll be posting the extended preview on my personal blog (soon, in a day or two). So follow my blog and check it out!**

**Also, Read, Review and Subscribe!**

For all of you who haven't already read it, go check out my other story **Learn to Fly.** I'll be posting backgrounds and art on that story on my blog as well. Hope you enjoyed the read!


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